Is the game better ( or worse) after all the changes

[Mark from Brisbane]

I was inspired by a comment from @The Who to create this new thread , and I’m sure we had one like this earlier in the year but now we are about half way through so I thought I’d ask it again.

So are we better off after the rule changes / single referee or are we worse off.

For me we are better off BUT there’s some downsides including how much more a ref can influence a game with a string of ( at times debatable ) 6 agains.

The 6 agains were introduced to speed up the game and that has worked , however the major downside to this is massive blowout scores .

We have had a couple of high quality very close games and the common thread is , very few 6 agains called.

So, what are your thoughts on wether we are better or worse off ??

 

[eaglebuzz]

I like the rule changes but the problem with the NRL is inconsistent refereeing. The 6 again is just another tool in the referee's arsenal for shaping the flow of a match. There needs to be greater accountability for referees.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I like the rule changes but the problem with the NRL is inconsistent refereeing. The 6 again is just another tool in the referee's arsenal for shaping the flow of a match. There needs to be greater accountability for referees.

The trouble is if you are involved in the game you’ve been a fan at some stage , or you’ve played for a club or clubs, or more closely involved with a specific club.

We all see the bias in the commentators so you can’t tell me it doesn’t happen at a referee level.

Im not sure how ( or even if) you can eradicate it.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Single ref, great. Six again restarts, theoretically great, horrible in practice - no time to stop and explain anything, hence the single ref has even more power over the outcome of a game than ever before. The captain's challenge I like a lot.
Mostly, what the changes have done is highlight the differences in quality between many of the teams, resulting in blowout after blowout. Some teams have been quicker to adjust and some teams are just plain better than others. Guess it's up to the teams who have struggled (including us of late) to raise their games, but it might take a season or two to sort itself out.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

With the 6 again, why should an infringement on the 5th tackle (resulting in a total of 11 tackles) be worth more than an infringement on the 1st (resulting in a total of 7 tackles)?
Because of this, we invariably see players holding down on the 1st or 2nd tackles.

Why not simply add a number of tackles (say 4) to the current tackle count whatever it may be?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Single ref, great. Six again restarts, theoretically great, horrible in practice - no time to stop and explain anything, hence the single ref has even more power over the outcome of a game than ever before. The captain's challenge I like a lot.
Mostly, what the changes have done is highlight the differences in quality between many of the teams, resulting in blowout after blowout. Some teams have been quicker to adjust and some teams are just plain better than others. Guess it's up to the teams who have struggled (including us of late) to raise their games, but it might take a season or two to sort itself out.

I think of course most teams set themselves up for old rules types of players and got caught out , some badly.

Teams such as the Eels and the Panthers possibly might not be doing as well under the old rules.

It’s why we’ve seen the Rabbits and the Roosters struggle a bit.

Sadly the bloody Drizzle just seem to adapt , and quickly.

 

[manlyfan76]

Instead of six again it should be "7 tackle set" six more is too much.
Other than that it's better ATM.
What happens over the next two seasons when recruitment catches up with the game will be interesting.

 

[KNUCKLES]

The trouble is if you are involved in the game you’ve been a fan at some stage , or you’ve played for a club or clubs, or more closely involved with a specific club.

We all see the bias in the commentators so you can’t tell me it doesn’t happen at a referee level.

Im not sure how ( or even if) you can eradicate it.

Your right.. you can't eradicate it..
It's human nature..
Ppl take care of their own before others...
Ppl take care of their children before others..
Ppl sleep with their mrs before....
You get the point haha

 

[susan]

Better than before easily
Don’t think it will stop best side winning comp and much more entertaining
Injuries for the top 6 or 7 sides decides comp

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Instead of six again it should be "7 tackle set" six more is too much.
Other than that it's better ATM.
What happens over the next two seasons when recruitment catches up with the game will be interesting.

Interesting idea , 1 extra tackle rather than 6, that would be better I reckon.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Better than before easily
Don’t think it will stop best side winning comp and much more entertaining
Injuries for the top 6 or 7 sides decides comp

Agree on the injuries but you’d have to say some sides have clearly adapted to the new rules better than others ( maybe it’s the type of players they have?).

 

[susan]

Agree on the injuries but you’d have to say some sides have clearly adapted to the new rules better than others ( maybe it’s the type of players they have?).

Yep Mark. No doubt
I m not a big fan of Ricky but he did foresee a game for smaller agile forwards last year

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Yep Mark. No doubt
I m not a big fan of Ricky but he did foresee a game for smaller agile forwards last year

If not for losing their 9 I reckon they would have gone to the GF this year .

 

[Ranga]

I don’t mind the one ref, but reckon they rely more than ever on their ‘tip sheet’.

Not sold on 6 again. Too much reliance on which side the bed the ref wakes up on. I think I would have preferred they trial different approaches to solve the issue first - Eg, a 5 min sin bin for consecutive penalties in your defensive 20m; mandatory sin bin for a team’s 5th penalty in a half. To introduce a fundamental new rule mid season without trialing it is not the way a professional comp should be run in my view.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I don’t mind the one ref, but reckon they rely more than ever on their ‘tip sheet’.

Not sold on 6 again. Too much reliance on which side the bed the ref wakes up on. I think I would have preferred they trial different approaches to solve the issue first - Eg, a 5 min sin bin for consecutive penalties in your defensive 20m; mandatory sin bin for a team’s 5th penalty in a half. To introduce a fundamental new rule mid season without trialing it is not the way a professional comp should be run in my view.

It’s certainly turned the game on it’s head .

I quite like the 6 again rule BUT it’s way open to different refs different rulings and as we’ve seen can create some absolute blow out scores.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

100% better to watch

I don’t buy into the theory of more blowout scores because of it, we have more blowout scores because there are more woeful teams than there have been for years

Teams can display ticker and stay in the contest if they are good enough despite all the play against them, us v the Eels earlier this year is an example of that

 

[susan]

One thing I do know is if Greenberg didn’t **** our contract with Mitchell Pearce we would be winning a comp. Perfect combination at club level.

 

[Ranga]

One thing I do know is if Greenberg didn’t **** our contract with Mitchell Pearce we would be winning a comp. Perfect combination at club level.

I still haven’t got over that witch hunt and I don’t think I will, @ Susan. Parra breach the cap through fraud perpetrated by one of Todd’s mates (Seward), and the NRL works backwards to get them competitive again. Manly are deemed to breach the cap because of ambiguity in TPA rules and we get multiple year punishments. I’ve said it before, but that witch hunt was personal for Todd, and in my view it’s because he thought he would get some of Manly’s stars to the dogs, only for Manly to hold on to them.

I’m so glad he is gone. It’s why even though I don’t like the 6 again rule, I will accept it because I believe the change came from a good intention. Unlike anything Todd ever did.

 

[Nordburg]

How’s the 20/40 rule going?

 

[KNUCKLES]

So back to the topic of people showing favouritism, the call last night on the waqa Blake try was apparently made by none other than a ex backrower who played under Arthur. Beau scott.. human nature strikes again.. may as well have toby Allen in the bunker..
P.s i just don't get how an ex eel player can officiate an eels game?? Also no ex player should be able to ref.. prime eg perenara his bias toward st George was obvious yesterday