The NRL in the past has trialed rule changes at the end of the season for teams playing in dead rubbers.
With Melbourne out of contention and a few more to join them in a month or so, they should look at trialling some innovative ideas.
1. 5 minute sin bin. Bring it back and make it expire when a try is scored.
2. Replacements for send offs. Maybe then the refs will start using it more often.
3. Unlimted bench.... Every team carries an 18th man. I don’t see the problem with carrying 4 primary interchange players and carrying 1,2 or 100 under21’s players (that have played the 21’s match that day) on the extended bench to be used at the discretion of the coach. This doesn’t benefit any team as you still only get 10 interchanges. But you have the benefit of blooding youngsters if games are won/lost with 20 mins to go or you get too many injuries.... the exposure can only help.
And some far left field suggestions - almost Mark GeyeresqueJ
Automatic 2 point conversion for any try scored under the posts or 5m either side.
Line drop outs to be taken from the 20m line under all circumstances in order to encourage tries over repeat sets.
5 points for a try through the hands. 4 points for a try via a kick.
Replies
If a game is tied up at full time on equal points, then each team gets 1 point and the additional point is played for over 2 ten minute halves. A team, only claims victory if they can better the oppostion by 3 points or more ....this rules out a kickathon or a soft penalty deciding the result.
If the teams can't better their opponent by 3 points (this gives incentive for teams to go for a try) or more in this ) then each team gets 1 point.
If a team scores 3 or more points better than the opposition at the end they get 2 points while the loser keeps their 1 point.
This aims to give each team and fans credit for a draw, lessens ref's mistakes deciding the game and stops the field goal kickathon....any thoughts?
Sin bin and send offs cannot be changed otherwise players will exploit the soft approach by refs.
Scrums to be abolished completely with a play the ball instead.
Minimum 20 minutes on the field for any player with unlimited interchange.
Get rid of golden point - after 80 mins if game tied - then guess what? It's a draw. 1 point each.
when run on team announced the kicker is also named. Elected kicker cannot take kicks in front or inside 5M either side of posts. Good exposure for young blokes.
"Sin bin and send offs cannot be changed otherwise players will exploit the soft approach by refs".... can't agree... our game is really clean and the league in general is trigger happy. The only difference you will see IMO is that the refs will send more players off... they are too scared to do it now because it will cost a team the game 90% of the time.
Agree about the draw.. I never had a problem with 1 point each