NRL 2014 Rule Changes

[Jaede]

Hey,
Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on the new rule changes to the game? In case you haven't seen them here they are


The rule and interpretation changes for the 2014 Telstra Premiership season, which will also apply to the Holden State of Origin Series, AAMI City-Country and the Holden Cup, are:

RULE CHANGES

Zero Tackle from 20m Restart: The first tackle after a 20m optional kick will be called a zero tackle. The rule change provides an extra tackle to discourage tactical kicks and negative play when the ball is kicked dead to slow down the game and deny wingers and fullbacks the chance to return kicks.

40/20 Restarts: The team that performs a 40/20 kick will restart play with a tap kick 20m in from the touch at the point it crossed the line instead of at a scrum.

Restarts from Kicks Out on Full: A handover will be awarded when the ball is kicked out on the full on any tackle.

INTERPRETATION CHANGES

Stop The Clock: During the last five minutes of a match, the clock will stop following a conversion or penalty kick at goal until play restarts at halfway.
The interpretation change will add excitement during close matches, provide consistency across matches and reduce potential time-wasting.

Quick Taps: A quick penalty restart will be permitted on any infringement except 10m penalties, where the referee issues a caution or within 10m of the opposition goal line. The interpretation change encourages more continuous play.

Captain Communication: Captains will only be able to speak to referees during a stoppage in play (tries, injury break or when referee is issuing a caution). Penalties and scrums are not considered stoppages of play. Captains will be given an opportunity to speak to the referees as players leave the field for half-time.

Goal-kicking Time Limit: The referee will call time-off at approximately 1min 20sec following the scoring of a try. Fines will still apply to clubs when a player takes longer than 1min 40sec to take a conversion.

PLAYER SAFETY

Cannonball Tackles: When a player is being held in an upright position by two defenders, any additional tackler must make initial contact to the player in possession above the knee. In addition, referees will be instructed to call held earlier on upright tackles to deter unnecessary third-man tackles.

Crusher Tackles: The Match Review Committee will be directed to charge crusher tackles at the higher end of the scale to provide a greater deterrent.

JUDICIARY

Match Review Panel: NRL Match Review Committee member Michael Buettner will become the Match Review Co-ordinator in 2014, replacing the retired Greg McCallum. Former Eels, Raiders, Titans and Bulldogs player Michael Hodgson will join the Match Review Committee panel.

The ARL Commission has also approved the continued trial of the Captain’s Challenge concept in televised Holden Cup matches.

The Competition Committee includes NRL CEO Dave Smith, ARL Commissioner and former international Wayne Pearce, NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg, NRL General Manager of Football Operations Nathan McGuirk, Australian coach Tim Sheens, NRL coaches Wayne Bennett and Trent Robinson, former NRL coaches Daniel Anderson and John Lang, former players Darren Lockyer and Andrew Ryan, plus NRL Referees Elite Performance Manager Tony Archer.

The review process has been in development for five months and began with fan feedback through the NRL Nation’s online fan survey, followed by assessment with the NRL Competition Committee, engagement and consultation with all the 16 NRL clubs and coaches and final recommendations by the NRL Competition Committee to the ARL Commission.

 

[Ben Tone]

Just what we need, more fiddling around with the rules just to stuff the game up even more !!

Looks like they don't want scrums in the game anymore either.

Lets all just play touch footy shall we ??

Get this Smith out of our game now !!!

 

[Leith Holding]

Just what we need, more fiddling around with the rules just to stuff the game up even more !!

Looks like they don't want scrums in the game anymore either.

Lets all just play touch footy shall we ??

Get this Smith out of our game now !!!

Besides being a decorative feature - what value does the scrum still have in the game?

I think the changes, at least taken at face value, look reasonable.

 

[nznrl]

Well the Warriors were repeatedly destroyed off the back of set plays from scrums last year...yay for no scrums.

I have an issue with the stoppage time for goals in the last 5 mins, if that is the rule it should be the rule for the entire game.

Good work on cleaning up the tackle though, now just bring back shoulder charges (with no contact to the head)

 

[Ben Tone]

Besides being a decorative feature - what value does the scrum still have in the game?

I think the changes, at least taken at face value, look reasonable.

Teams will always look at putting on set plays from the scrum.

They are still a good attacking option if nothing else.

I mean really, you cant even push in a scrum now.

If they would have just penalised halfbacks for second row feeds when they krept in we would i believe still have a decent contest with them.

Same as with the wrestle, walking off the mark and voluntary tackles.

These rules were around for about 90 years with hardly any problems and the man in the middle should have taken control and nipped things in the bud when they started.

Anyway i think we still need some tradition in the game.

 

[Kudjin]

I'm with Leith on the scrum. When you have former greats such as Wally and Gus saying constantly during games that scrums these days are a joke and should just be rid of, who am I to argue. They may have been part of peoples game plan in yesteryear but in this day and age with the existing rules and structure of the game its hardly worth the farce it is.

 

[Leith Holding]

Teams will always look at putting on set plays from the scrum.

They are still a good attacking option if nothing else.

I mean really, you cant even push in a scrum now.

If they would have just penalised halfbacks for second row feeds when they krept in we would i believe still have a decent contest with them.

Same as with the wrestle, walking off the mark and voluntary tackles.

These rules were around for about 90 years with hardly any problems and the man in the middle should have taken control and nipped things in the bud when they started.

Anyway i think we still need some tradition in the game.

I agree that scrums do aid set plays.

But the way they are currently policed leaves the value of scrums further open to ridicule, in that, it does not matter which players actually pack down in the scrum. It is becoming routine for backs to pack in when defending, or for attacking back rowers not to pack in, to aid attacking options.

I also value the tradition aspect, and given that we are part of a card collecting community, I am confident that most of us on here - like to hold onto the past to a degree, in addition to not going much on change.

 

[mischap123]

I think these changes are OK but I like the 40/20 being a scrum as teams can set up set plays which is good to watch.
On the scrum in general, it should be contested and not just 12 blokes coming in for a breather.

 

[Kudjin]

I thought it was anything goes with scrums these days

 

[Ben Tone]

I agree that scrums do aid set plays.

But the way they are currently policed leaves the value of scrums further open to ridicule, in that, it does not matter which players actually pack down in the scrum. It is becoming routine for backs to pack in when defending, or for attacking back rowers not to pack in, to aid attacking options.

I also value the tradition aspect, and given that we are part of a card collecting community, I am confident that most of us on here - like to hold onto the past to a degree, in addition to not going much on change.

And this is why the refs should be told that all forwards should be made to pack into the scrum and not just anyone.....especially when they want to stop the clock, which is another annoying thing that has come into the game.

Here's a simple idea....tell all clubs at the start of the year that they have 20 seconds to form a scrum no matter what stage of the match ie: from the first whistle until full time, if they don't penalise them.

That would sort that out pretty quickly.