OMG quix....
No one in either Rugby wear "protection" of any kind
In fact, AFL has even more "protection" (by restricting where/how players can engage) than Rugby Union, with all the best hits now illegal. Even the best "bumps" are getting pulled up. And yes, only being able to tackle between the shoulders and wait is pussy.
AFL players are tough. I will admit that. But Rugby League players are the toughest. Same length game without the rest in the middle (4 quarters vs 2 halves). Less overall running, but bigger, harder hits to withstand. Ever heard of a shoulder charge?
Jason Croker played 75 minutes for the Raiders in 2001 with a torn MCL in one leg and badly damaged ankle ligaments in the other. And he's a forward. He takes the brunt of the defence. Last year, Big Tom Leroyd-Lahrs played 6 weeks or so on a knee requiring a reconstruction.
I love AFL. I think think players are tough and to be in awe of. But realistically, League is a tougher game.
Lame Lame Lame.....
The 'protection' you speak of is not enforced by the players but by the league....excatly like rugby, you cant do spear tackle and cant high tackle....excatly the same thing.
Im pretty sure am some point in time (like early this century) that rugby did involve some kind of armour, even if it was shoulder pads. AFL has never had any armour whatsoever.
Why is a tackle between waist and shoulder pussy? Thats totally ridiculous, its a pussy act to try and take out somones feet....lame
So what if they played injured....thats individual toughness. Teddy Whitten played in the 1972 State of Origin match with a broken wrist, took 33 possesions kicked 3 goals and got the MVP...many people play with injuries, does not mena they are necessarilly tougher.
Same game lengths...think not. Max 45 min halfs with injury time for rugby. AFL each quarter is minimum 25 minutes, but beacuse of all the stoppages each quarter usually turns out to be around 32 mins. And both codes have the break at half time
U never quantify why league is a tougher game...I have for AFL. Is it just because they wiegh more? Coz that def does not mean they are tougher, just means they fall harder.
I remember a test they did on the footy show between all 4 codes, on 3 areas, strength, agility and endurance. the AFL player won all of them.