So the NRL's Graham Annesley has gone and told the clubs the game will be refereed differently yet again in a bid to speed up the game and reduce the wrestling.
At this point you have to question what the NRL is doing. After spending an entire season where nearly every little thing was penalised, now we're relaxing the enforcement of the rules.
This is surely confusing for coaches, players, fans and the referees.
I actually think this is the way to referee the game though. No two games are the same and pretty much everything is open to interpretation.
It should be up to the game day referees to decide how the game will flow, not the CEO who sits behind a desk and isn't on the field.
But I was thinking there's probably an easier way to speed the game up.
Two ideas:
Firstly, teams should have an option for a four point conversion. Like the NFL, teams can be allowed one tackle to try and score another four pointer following a try.
We could see some special plays designed and more entertainment towards the end of close games.
Secondly, teams should lose a defender after three consecutive penalties on their line.
So three penalties are blown. Referee informs the defending captain the next player to be penalised is to leave the field until a try is scored or his team gets the ball back. Defending sides lose a player for every penalty they give away following three consecutive penalties.
It seems refs are still reticent to sin bin players. This would alleviate some of that as it's not a 10 minute penalty.
What other ideas could work to make the game more entertaining?
Comments
Referee to the rules and don't try to manage the game. Teams will learn to play by rules if refs did this. It is obvious when sides are holding down close to the line on lurpise amd that is professional foul regardless of how many penalties have been blown.
The game has lost its soul due to ongoing and far too frequent rule changes. Only a handful have been beneficial to the development of the game, eg the corner post rule. Rule changes are brought in to appease an ever increasing political correct and over sensitive society. They are definitely not introduced for the betterment of the game. Ongoing, constant rule changes are responsible for everything that is shit about rugby league. No more dramatic rule changes!
Who cares about speeding up the game when the NRL cannot even get teams on a level playing field. Stop deflecting and get the cap right or fekk it off. Biggest issue in the NRL!
Why is everyone so obsessed with speeding the game up? It’s too easy to score simple tries now that imo it’s ruining the game. Tries used to be a lot more special. Now it’s just about waiting for a penalty and then pass it around the back until you get your winger to score untouched. I miss the good old grind between two teams!
Agreed, The King. They could slow the game right down, stop teams playing for penalties or quick play-the-balls, and it would still be a good spectacle. But most punters want to see wide open spaces and tries scored.
Why in hell are you trying to further complicate the game further with different points for this and different points for that. the only thing i would say is in the moden game is get rid of them scrum .if there is a knock on be the same as the six tackle and hand the ball over to the othe side .end of story .but to be honest being an old bastard i would still like to see a proper scrum set down and fed properly by the half back in the middle and the hooker strike for the ball . As far as i know that rule still applies but in an effort to speed up the game as you say thats why the Refs turn a blind eye . Thats the reason i say get rid of the scrujm all together and hand the ball over when there a discretion
You make some good points there Mick.
Fatigue is certainly dead in the game at the moment, and a big reason for that is the bunker. Even if penalties were reduced, players still get way too much rest time due to bunker involvement. They also get rest periods with drop-outs and scrums both operating on a shotclock. I'm not against the shotclock, but I dont think the players should get as long, maybe 20 seconds instead of 30, and I dont think it should be visible. Making it visible means that 99% of drop-outs and scrums are actioned within 1 or 2 seconds of time expiring, i.e. players are giving themselves the biggest possible rest they can. If you keep the clock, but not make it visible, I think you will find that these things will happen a lot quicker to make sure they avoid the penalty.
I alsop agree that the 7 tackle rule needs to be overhauled. For example, why should a defending team be rewarded with a 20m tap and 7 tackles if an attacking players knocks the ball on over the tryline? In fact I think the 7 tackle rule, the way it is, is the most absurd thing in the game at the moment, given how important momentum and field position are.
The King: The worst thing to do is to speed up the game. That has been the greatest flaw Greenberg`s efforts since he became CEO but it is not his only flaws, To suggest that a faster game is a better game is nonsense. A good game of Rugby League has nothing to with speed. The essence of Rugby League is the contest not if it is fast or slow or something in between- the contest. If you want a fast game of Rugby League go and look at touch football. You will notice how fast it is and you will notice how few spectators there are watching it. It is a complete bore. In America, the NFL is the most watched game. Each game goes for 60 minutes but it often takes 3 to 4 hours to play out the sixty minutes. Thus the spectators are not watching the football, they sit through all the breaks in play which is longer than the game takes to complete. There is no motive there to speed things up
Throw out this yearly speed ups. They destroy the game.
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