Unfortunately, the modern game is a non-contact sport, slightly less vicious than netball. If a player mistimes a tackle, he has a 50-50 chance of being booked. Forty years ago, the average number of players sent off was around 3 per division per season. Are you suggesting that the modern game is that much dirtier than in the days of Norman Hunter and Chopper Harris?
The biggest mistake was to give the prima donnas in the middle the silly cards to wave about.
