10-metre rule has ruined the game

[Jethro]

Steve Mortimer, one of rugby league's great attacking players, appealed for the code's authorities to acknowledge finally that the 10 metres defensive line had sent the game backwards as an entertainment.

The defensive line at a play-the-ball was extended from five to 10 metres in 1993 but Mortimer, who played for Canterbury's ''entertainers'' in the '70s and the ''enforcers'' of the '80s, said it was time to concede it had helped make the modern game too predictable.

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[Jethro]

Steve Mortimer, one of rugby league's great attacking players, appealed for the code's authorities to acknowledge finally that the 10 metres defensive line had sent the game backwards as an entertainm

ent.

The defensive line at a play-the-ball was extended from five to 10 metres in 1993 but Mortimer, who played for Canterbury's ''entertainers'' in the '70s and the ''enforcers'' of the '80s, said it was time to concede it had helped make the modern game too predictable.

''What you see now is when [Melbourne Storm] Cameron Smith skips out of dummy half, he has all the forwards alongside him, they're not back five yards,'' said Mortimer.

''So what we're seeing in sets of six is the forwards take it up for 10 metres, they make 50 metres, their kicker puts up a bomb or maybe they do a second phase play. They are simply taking the ball up and getting tackled, there's no imagination, it's just one-out stuff.

''And when a forward comes to defend, they go straight up the top and wrestle; we never had wrestle in my day but they're desperate now to stop the offload because [the defensive team] is going to have to run back another 10 metres for the next play.''

Mortimer said it should not surprise anyone that coaches were always certain to exploit the 10-metres rule.

''Rugby league is a simple game but it's the most entertaining when it comes to TV ratings,'' he said. ''We see that in State of Origin, but the way they're playing the game now it's just about taking advantage of rules.

''As a halfback I would've loved the 10-metre rule because I could take a look where the figures were but, now, as the coaches have it, the first three or four plays are just used as one-offs … get the ball up, kick the ball high and either score a try or not.''

He believed the neck injury Newcastle forward Alex McKinnon suffered in the match against Melbourne was, in part, a result of the 10-metre rule.

''When you take a look at the tackle, the two Bromwich boys [Jesse and Kenny] they went up the top and the reason they did that was to stop the ball, hold him up for a little while and get him down on the ground,'' he said.

''What that tackle does is it buys time for their teammates to get back the 10 metres and in position to prepare for the next attacking play.''

Mortimer, who retired in 1988, said he realised some people would dismiss him as a ''dinosaur'' but he was adamant his views were derived from his passion for the game and his fear it was perhaps too predictable.

''All I know is 10 metres is too far back for guys to defend. This isn't a whinge, I'm just looking at the betterment of our game.''


Daniel Lane

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/steve-mortimer-10metre-rule-has-ruined-the-game-20140412-36k1c.html

 

[susan]

Mortimer is an idiot.On this occasion he is dead right.

 

[Ryan]

I get that what happened to Mackinnon was terrible. But the game is faster and more skilled than it has ever been. Look at players like Brett Stewart, Lyon, Hodges, Thurston etc. The mobile forwards of the day only 5 metres from the ruck would just clog the game up.

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

So implied here is that the distance between attackers and defenders would need to still be 10 metres, but the attacking side would have to stand 5 back from the ruck (like in the old days, but it was not strictly enforced).

Maybe turvey, but he's forgetting that it was wozzaball in the 80s that led to the rule change: conditioning and skills training improved the defence beyond the more haphazard organising of it in the 70s. Just look at for eg the manly gfs of the 70s: players played the 80 mins, drop balls, kicks in play from more or less anywhere, scrums were still a contest. In the 80s things got a lot more systematic, disciplined, and the 80s bulldogs team showed what could be done with a dedicated defensive system, player policy, etc. The future did not look too 'entertaining'.

 

[Chip and Chase]

So he still wants 10m between lines but with the ruck centred in that space ? Melbourne will blow up deluxe about that....Cameron Smith doesn't know how to pass backwards from dummy half.

 

[bones]

The game has become boring. If Manly weren't involved I would have no interest whatsoever.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The game has become boring. If Manly weren't involved I would have no interest whatsoever.

Sadly that is also what I feel recently. I have got a lot of entertainment from the game especially over the last 7-8 years but not so much now, some games are very boring.

 

[xavier]

The main point about changing from a 10 metre to a 5 metre defense line is that you take away the incentive to wrestle and for teams to direct all their play up the middle of the ruck with one off flat passing from dumby half. The five metre line puts more onus on creating attacking play, passing and improvisation. Gone would be this obsession with playing the percentages by catching the defensive team out by quick (surrender) play the balls and backpeddling defence. Basically the Melbourne model which has paradoxically made league a very static game. I'm shocked when I go to a game at the lack of movement.

 

[Masked Eagle]

I think a return to the 5m rule with the fitness levels if today's players would see teams make more meters in defence then they would in attack. I'm really not sure what the solution is. We hate dummy half running but with quick play the balls that's what you get. Solution - slow down the ruck but we hate the wrestle. I haven't heard an option yet where i can just see another blight on the game happening as a result. Maybe something like you can't run out off dummy half outside the 20m lines? That could work right ....

 

[Daddycool08]

I remember the old 5 metres a side rule.

It was overall ten metres between the attack and defence.

I like the current rule as it is.

We shouldn't go backwards.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I like the current rule as it is.

We shouldn't go backwards.

Yes that would be pretty radical. Would lead to a lot of dropped ball and players tripping over.