"New" rules for trial game

An experimental rule will be in place for NRL trial matches which will see differential penalties awarded against players who do not play the ball correctly.NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg said referees would be encouraged to strictly police the new interpretations to ensure players were penalised for failing to play the ball correctly.Mr Greenberg said NRL match officials had worked with the clubs through the pre-season on ensuring their understanding of the change was clear.“This has been identified as an area which needs to be addressed and there clearly needs to be some increased regulation of the play-the-ball,” Mr Greenberg said.“We have consulted the coaches and also worked with the clubs over the pre-season to ensure they are ready for the changes.“It is a relatively minor offence but it is a source of frustration for many and it is clear there needs to be some penalty applied for failing to make a genuine attempt to play the ball.“We understand how critical penalties can be in the context of a game, but a differential penalty will ensure that referees can apply the rules more vigilantly.”The success of the change would be assessed before it was decided whether the rule would be adopted in the future.Trial matches will also include new rules preventing teams from forming a wall to prevent charge-downs from field-goal attempts, ahead of its introduction in the NRL Telstra Premiership.The rule allows that “if two or more players form a wall (side by side) next to the play the ball and don’t allow the opportunity for a defending player to move directly towards the player in possession, the referee will penalise for obstruction”.New shot clock timings will also be in place for the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars, this Saturday’s Charity Shield, as well as the Penrith-Parramatta trial match on February 20, ahead of the formal introduction of the technology in Round One.Following recommendations put to the Competition Committee and the Coaches Conference, the ARL Commission endorsed timings of 35 seconds for scrums and 30 seconds for drop-outs.Any team which does not pack a scrum or execute a drop-out in the required time will be penalised. Should both teams not pack the team with the loose head and feed will receive the penalty.All changes will be in place for Saturday night's Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars at Suncorp Stadium.

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Replies

GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman February 10, 2016 at 5:15pm

LOL I heard Archer talking about this on Talkin' Sport.

EVERY year without fail we hear about the refs 'cracking down' on basic rules which haven't been policed because of bad refereeing the previous year. Then the refs decide to clean it up and come down hard on the players like it is their fault?

Last year was the players having to peel off, all at once. The year before that penalising the wrestle and time spent holding a tackled player down.

I wonder which round we will see the players simply throwing the ball between their legs, touch footy style?

Round 4?

A joke!
Yobz February 10, 2016 at 5:16pm

Yet again we have to dream up new rules that have been quite covered in previous rules. Play the ball penalties and obstruction have been around forever. It isn't the rule that is the problem but the interpretation and implantation.
- GRUNTA - Death of a Salesman > Yobz February 10, 2016 at 5:28pm
  
  Yep. The whistle blowers are hopeless!
- Yobz > Yobz February 10, 2016 at 6:56pm
  
  *implementation. Damnyouautocorrect
josh jones February 10, 2016 at 7:05pm

Why doesn't turdberg fix that rule where it's 6 to go if ball is kicked then touches the ref. It was relevant when scrims were 50/50 in 1908. The dumb rule has effected finals footy before. If it touches ref it should be either play on or play the play with the same tackles left. Not 6 to go! Especially considering most kicks come on the last tackle. Typical NR effing L. Can't even do the simplest of things right.
Bup February 10, 2016 at 7:13pm

Get rid of kicking for touch for a differential penalty, six again should suffice. It would go along way to stemming any referee bias otherwise known as their discretion . It's the biggest blight on the game by a long way. Ruins the spectacle of many a rugby league game and often forces me to change the channel.
Kurupt February 10, 2016 at 9:28pm

Fuck off greenturd, are your refs going to penalise the dogs too?
Davo 'RIP feet for hands Toutai' February 10, 2016 at 10:23pm

My problem with the play the ball area is where the attacking player takes one or even two steps forward off the mark before actually playing the ball. This in turn gives the defensive team less time to set themselves. Inglis takes at least one step off the mark every time and that extra metre allows his team to get more of a roll on. Was pulled very few times last year across the comp and should be pulled up more often.
Mo February 11, 2016 at 12:30am

New year same bullshit different words.
Xman February 11, 2016 at 5:48am

I love how he spins it as new interpretation with a minor change to the rule, ffs just do ur job consistently for the 80 and you don't have to change the rules. As for the field goal blockers great idea to test this in trials I can see so many teams going for a field goal to break the deadlock ! (Sarcasm)
Only good thing is the time wasting shot clock and penalty