Clint Gutherson's wink a microcosm for NRL rule change cunning and challenge
By Jack Snape
AAP: Brendon Thorne
)Premiers Melbourne were looking more and more formidable in Thursday night's Parramatta storm.
Clint Gutherson's Eels team was on the rack, forwards exhausted, facing a drop out minutes before half time.
But what the Parramatta fullback did next says everything about rugby league's widely discussed and often criticised rule changes.
Down getting his ankle strapped, "Gutho" winked.
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Now it's not clear how bad his ankle injury really was.
He was hobbling a few minutes later but came back after half time without a bandage.
What is indisputable is that the treatment he received bought time for his teammates to recover.
That's despite a new rule brought in this season designed to prevent players going down injured and the trainer calling for the ref to stop the play.
From now on, any time this happens, the player must be replaced or leave the field for two minutes.
But on Thursday night, because Gutherson went down before the ref blew his whistle, he was able to receive treatment — and hold up the game — without punishment.
Whether the treatment was genuinely needed or not, it's the latest loophole around the reformed rules the NRL has instituted in the past year or so.
Tracking rule changes
In a little over 12 months, the NRL has brought in more than half a dozen other major rule changes:
- Scrum locations can be chosen by the team with the feed
- Players must not tackle a player in the air catching a ball
- The 20/40 kick (the exotic variation of the 40/20 that has been ignored)
- Set restarts, not penalties, for ruck infringements
- A play the ball instead of a scrum for the ball finding touch
- The two-point field goal from more than 40 metres out
- Set restarts for 10-metre offside infringements
The latter change has prompted concern from some within the rugby league community the game may get too fast, leading to potential injury, putting a premium on fitness and generating scrappy play and lopsided contests.
The NRL is pleased with the results so far, however. NRL head of football elite competition Graham Annesley said this week the introduction has led to more compliance with the 10 metres because players get less rest compared to what they would have had from giving up a penalty last year.
"I'd like to think that's because the intro of six again means that if you give away that possession, that additional six tackles, you don't get any break, you're constantly defending," he said.
"If a direct result of the implementation of six again for 10-metre infringements is that it's forcing more compliance from the clubs … then that's a great outcome for the game."
But the set restart rule remains controversial.
Last year, the better teams conceded more set restarts than they won. Teams still appear happy to concede this year if it helps slow down the ruck. Melbourne conceded a set restart out of Parramatta's very first hit up on Thursday night.
Restarts bring new challenges
Set restarts are having an impact on the type of football that's being played.
According to the figures shared by the NRL Boom Rookies podcast this week, teams' immediate reaction is for more conservative attacking play. There were 706 one-pass hit-ups in round 1, up from 617 in round 1 last season. The all-time high was 754, in round 3 last year when the set restart rule was introduced.
But it also provides a new test for the game's tempo managers.
Thursday night showed Melbourne will miss rugby league's legendary conductor Cameron Smith.
The Melbourne Storm may miss Cameron Smith's smarts on the field.(AAP: Dave Hunt
)Because there are fewer ways a team can get a rest, moves like Gutherson's treatment, use of the captain's challenge, and even approaching the ref to debate calls will take on greater significance this year.
As Storm coach Craig Bellamy said in the wake of his team's loss against Gutherson's Eels, "without Cameron [Smith] there we've still got to learn our way a little bit".
"We lost our way a little bit last week but we managed to steady the ship, whereas tonight I don't think we steadied it that well," he said.
"As I said to the players, I couldn't have asked for any more effort from them but I could ask for a few more smarter efforts perhaps."
Coaches and players are always concocting strategies to push the limits of the rulebook for their benefit.
So while the rugby league world comes to terms with the latest tweaks, the tension between the home side, the visitors, the rule makers, the referees and the fans is part of what keeps rugby league fresh.
Going back to Thursday night's wink, Gutherson may have outsmarted the new trainer rule.
But Melbourne scored a minute later anyway.
Replies
Not sure if others caught it but I actually noticed him do that and thought to myself the cheeky bugger. I’m sure nothing will come of it, could always argue it was a grimace.
I seen it live but honestly didn't take it as that, I just thought it was a wink to a mate saying i'll be right, not that he was milking it
I saw the wink and then he blinked twice to cover it.
Was this written by a Storm supporter,geez he was only down for a minute, maybe they should write an article about Papenshizen laying down twuce in a few minutes trying to milk a penalty ,pretty sure he wasted more time.
Yup, and he did it twice. Why did'nt the writer report on that as well? Oh because he plays for Melbourne.
Exactly
He rolled his ankle for Christs sake, trod on some ones boot you could see it. I've rolled mine a few times like that and it can take you out of the game, can be nasty. He genuinely hurt himself and for a few seconds you never know how bad it is. He may have just realised it wasn't too bad and winked to his team-mate to say "I'll be right". The article was writen purely on speculation and should of actually been written about the Storm fullback. Another example of the special treatment they get and why they are so hated.
That's excatly what I thought - he winked to say he was ok.
Jake Snape is a goose!
....and what kind of a name is Snape. Is he related to Professor Severus Snape?
the funniest part is ,but when he came out after halftime there was no strapping? Ummm ill guve you a clue,sox dude.it's under his sox.obviously never set foot in a changeroom before or played footy,but if you are noticing a guy winking at you then I might suggest he would like to be in there.
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