The game's pioneers developed a code of toughness that has been passed down from generation to generation as the careers of those leaving the game overlapped those coming in.
Foul play, like crime in society, has also been ever-present. It is all too clear where soft treatment is sending society on that front.
Before replacements were allowed, the list was long of hard men who soldiered on with injury, even broken limbs, refusing to come off the field and leave their mates a man short.
Mercifully, the injured are not required to do that these days.
There was, however, a very admirable element in the old 80-minute journey, where every ounce of skill and endurance was expended trying to "get on top of the other mob".
"The greatest game of all" always had its dark side though. There were the smarties with sneak shots and some characters could not understand the difference between toughness and foul play.
For them the line was always blurred.
There was actually a point in the game's history where violence and foul play was doing so much damage to the sport's image, there was a risk that there was not going to be a next generation of players.
The masses would have continued to be entertained for a time like Romans at the Colosseum, but it was unlikely they were going to offer their sons to the cause.
History should be kind to the man who stepped in to clean up the game. Solicitor and judiciary chairman, Jim Comans, gave the game a second wind when it was clearly running out of puff.
The line between toughness and downright thuggery had clouded to the point where decent blokes, to stay competitive, were doing things on the field that would have led to them facing prosecution in civilian life.
So we've progressed. The code has been "cleaned up". But the danger in the modern, corporate-driven game is the "win at all costs" mentality of coaches and players whose pay packets and livelihoods balance precariously on their win-loss records.
Cronulla Sharks forward Paul Gallen is a tough player. He can dish it out and he can absorb punishment. But he was once quoted as saying "We've got a motto here at the Sharks do whatever it takes to win." In view of his recent behaviour in the match against the Titans, someone preferably his coach Ricky Stuart should explain the difference between being tough and being dirty.
Gallen's tearing at the stitched head of Titans forward Anthony Laffranchi to reopen the wound has demoted him from tough to the category of low-class mug. Gallen also denied grabbing the testicles of Josh Graham in that same game.
The judiciary had a challenge with this bloke, but it came up short. He has been up before the judiciary on other charges, so he is either a slow learner or his lenient treatment was a poor teacher. A much stronger remedial dose will be required to save this bloke from himself.
Meanwhile, where there's smoke, there's fire. The denials coming out of Melbourne over the latest innovation to the multiple-wrestle tackle the chicken wing are just as unconvincing as the ones that were served up about the grapple tackle.
Coach Craig Bellamy's contribution to attacking play has been considerable. The Storm's set pieces make superb viewing. The same cannot be said about their defensive tactics.
Employing wrestling coach John Donehue has not exactly been a winner for the code. Wrestling, cage-fighting, or whatever it was that Johnny-boy excelled at, probably doesn't have the equivalent of boxing's Marquis of Queensbury rules, but I expect even he would cry foul if one of his opponents climbed into the ring with a machete.
The grapple, the crusher and the chicken wing have nothing to do with football. They are designed to immobilise but can easily injure the victim. This latest gem, the chicken wing, can dislocate a shoulder. No wonder it produces a slow play-the-ball when the ball carrier is pinned down.
Bellamy's vague responses point to a man who is trying to hose down the seriousness. "We were probably a bit loose in that area when we first started, before the grapple tackle blew up," he said at one point. What on earth that meant is anybody's guess.
Bellamy's quote when shown video examples of Melbourne players using the chicken wing was equally distant. "A couple of them looked a bit ordinary," he said. From a man who has no difficulty with precise coaching analysis, this response hardly cuts it. There's never been a period in the 100 years of the game when the hearts and minds of kids have been so competitively sought after by all the winter codes.
So back we come to the judiciary with an appeal to get rid of the things that don't belong in football. Our vision isn't blurred. We recognise and admire the toughness. You sort out the mugs.
rugby league
sport
They've been hovering near the top since the start and now they've made it to No.1. The Roosters let the hype about ex-Bulldog Willie Mason's first game against his old club wash over them and went out and got the job done.
They had to lose sooner or later and it's no shame it came on the road against a rejuvenated Storm. Now they have to hold things together until superstar Darren Lockyer is back fit and ready to lead by example again.
After two losses in a row, it was time for the Storm to stand up and be counted. They did that against the Broncos and should have no trouble getting motivated this week, for the grand final rematch against the Sea Eagles.
Going about their business nicely, with three wins from four starts, but the nagging memory is of how they folded in their only away game, against the Dragons. Need to show some steel on the road against the Eels.
Hardly set the world on fire in beating the Rabbitohs, but the result was never in doubt. They are conceding a fraction over nine points per game, which is four points better than the next best defence - that of the Storm.
Stumbling over the line at the death against the Dragons isn't worth a three-place rise on its own, but they did win despite being without some stars and a couple of other teams have slid down the ladder to open up spots.
Their limitations were exposed by the Roosters. They need to show their traditional Bulldogs grit and knuckle down for a series of big efforts or they could fade out of the finals picture well ahead of September arriving.
They knew the Cowboys could find form at any time, but they still didn't look ready to play them. Their defence has blown out to be the third-worst in the competition. Hey, Eels, how about a solid 80 minutes?
They are having a red-hot go, but inexperience is hurting them. If they just had a couple more seasoned stars to go with Danny Buderus and Kurt Gidley, they may have beaten the Warriors - or the Eels before that.
It's no coincidence that they have won two from two at home and lost two from two away. Sure, their road games were against the Storm and the Sea Eagles, but they are not the same team when they have to travel.
What happened against the Panthers was the perfect example of how even the NRL is and how games can swing dramatically according to who is in or out. No Robbie Farah meant no hope for the Tigers.
It would be wise not to get too excited about the Panthers yet. Let's see if they maintain consistently good form over a number of weeks, rather than just two. But give them credit - they played well against the Tigers.
After three heavy losses to open the season they finally awoke - and proceeded to give the Eels a hiding. We knew they had it in them - but it was getting mighty frustrating waiting for them to produce.
The Raiders had enough problems already with injuries, so what did short-tempered prop Michael Weyman do? He rearranged Titans forward Daniel Conn's face and got himself a long-term suspension. Clever stuff.
It was like a flashback to the old North Sydney teams that were famous for stealing defeat from the jaws of victory when the Dragons butchered that game against the Sharks. What a way to go.
Coach Jason Taylor has got his work cut out, trying to lift the Rabbitohs out of this hole. They offered nothing in attack against the Sea Eagles, but their next opponents - the Sharks - don't score much either.