Bigger hits, better tries: Why the best time in rugby league is now

Groundbreaking on-field innovations, enhanced viewing experiences, freakish athletes - rugby league’s product has never been better and fans are loving it.

There used to be a time when we had to choose between watching a drama, a thriller or the Olympics.

But rugby league has all bases covered now with script writers jealous of the dramatic finishes, while the players are fitter, faster and stronger than ever before which is why the best time in league is now.

Everyone has been in a pub and heard old mate sitting behind them muttering ‘back in my day’ when something happens that he didn’t like.

And while the schooner he’s drinking was probably a quarter of the price, his takes on the game aren’t as valuable because today’s game has never been better.

Payne Haas is doing things that prop forwards couldn’t even dream about 30 years ago when they were allowed to come on and off as often as they’d like, with the Broncos star churning out video game numbers every week.

Payne Haas is doing things that prop forwards couldn’t even dream about 30 years ago. Picture: NRL Photos

Fullbacks are tougher than ever, running 20 times a game into the teeth of defence and copping it from guys 30 kilos heavier than they are, only to get up and fire a bullet pass two plays later to set up their winger for a try.

And those wingers aren’t simply catching the ball and falling over, either. Thanks to Andrew Voss, we don’t have to worry about the corner post and it’s led to freakish finishes from Kyle Feldt, Sione Katoa and the other quality outside backs.

But if they’re not making gymnasts jealous, wingers can now fly with Xavier Coates, Daniel Tupou and Zac Lomax able to launch themselves off the ground and reel in high kicks to score tries that you’ll never see on grainy black and white footage.

Daniel Tupou is one of the NRL’s high flyers. Picture: Getty Images

Thankfully we can watch all of it now in 4K where modern day locks like Cameron Murray never stop working but are also capable of popping passes that would’ve made halves proud back in the day.

Then there’s Melbourne’s Josh King who put in an angled grubber earlier this year that would’ve seen him kicked out of the prop forward alliance back in the day but is par for the course for the big man in 2024, while teammate Eli Katoa runs like a truck but can soar like an eagle to score tries that belie his size.

The hits are bigger, the tries are more spectacular, and the action simply doesn’t stop these days, with fans desperate to see rugby league’s top athletes compete on grand final night to work out who the fastest man in league really is.

It’s why we’ll be sitting in the same pub in 30 years gloating that back in my day I got to see the best footy ever played.

Originally published as Bigger hits, better tries: Why the best time in rugby league is now