It talks about how the fullback is going to become even more important due to the NRL actually enforcing the rule of requiring chasers to wait and not rush down field.
"This season, as a result of a stronger policing of an existing rule, a team’s back three will be afforded more time and space in which to operate.
Referees boss Robert Finch has announced that from round one his dual whistleblowers will be cracking down on chasing teams in their pursuit of “downtown” kicks.
To paraphrase the rulebook it says that when a player kicks the ball, those in front of him in an off-side position can’t proceed past the play-the-ball until the ball has gone over their heads.
Despite this rule our referees have generally been prepared to allow chasers a substantial head start in their desire to get downfield as quickly as possible. That is why we have so often seen kick catchers immediately ringed by opposition players who’ve arrived almost before the football.
This will no longer be case."
Good for us for a couple of reasons. 1. We have dummy halves that can kick. Matt Keating, Kris Keating, Jeff Robson. Whoever is at dummy half has the ability to get a big kick away which is going to be a big advantage under that rule.
And secondly, what a great advantage to have the likes of Hayne, Burt and Grothe given more room to run the ball back.
These little rule modifications/interpretations make a suprisingly big difference year to year.
Replies
I can see an advantage for the ball receiver's when the kick is done by any player other than the dummy half. Use Soward for instance, he is usually way behind the play the ball and his chasers will now have to wait giving their opponents more space to run.
I can't see too much difference with kicks from dummy half though. Theoretically it will only be the tackled player in front of the kicker. How does this give us an extra advantage? To me, dummy half kicks will be status quo. Most of the better teams if not all have got good kickers from dummy half anyway. Ours aren't any better at it than most!
But in all seriousness no reason why Tahu and Burt couldn't swap on ocassions. You think you're kicking to Burty and then suddenly you've got the big T charging towards you with a full head of steam.