Kick off change

[The '47ers]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/terrible-way-to-start-a-game-rule-change-looms-after-ugly-anzac-day-act/news-story/8ec8ed3013d034aac0d87de5e507ce20

As always it begins with a whisper, slowly introducing it subliminally to the masses and before you know it, it's in.
Leave the game alone, find another sport.

 

[frank stokes]

Hate this idea… right up there with the shoulder charge change…

 

[The Wheel]

Knee jerk reaction to few recent injuries

 

[frank stokes]

Knee jerk reaction to few recent injuries

How society works more generally now…

 

[Ben]

It will be an adjustment but we will get used to it just like every other rule change if this was to eventuate.
I can see this happening sooner rather than later to protect the players and longevity from these head knocks.
Not that I agree with it as I love the spectacle of the opening kick off but at least once every 2 weeks there is a heavy concussion occurring from it.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Maybe need to hook electric shock devices up to the players, and if they run over a certain max speed they get repeatedly shocked until they slow down

Absolutely ridiculous idea

 

[Will on the hill]

If they want to make a change stop punishing defenders that make Jake style copybook tackles. While players are encouraged to gang tackle while standing bolt upright we will continue see these incidents, regardless of how big a run up they have.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

I dont like it, but they will bring it in to protect the players from themselves.

 

[StuBoot]

It seems that the problem occurs when there is three in the tackle, it's generally the middle defender that cops it.
Suli yesterday got knocked off his balance by Sua (?) and then was a sitting duck.

Rather than eliminate the long kick off, they could make it only two in the tackle from a kick off to start with, see how that goes.

Teams can then decide to go long or short.

 

[Rocky]

If it makes the game safer for the players, then I'm good with it.

 

[frank stokes]

It seems that the problem occurs when there is three in the tackle, it's generally the middle defender that cops it.
Suli yesterday got knocked off his balance by Sua (?) and then was a sitting duck.

Rather than eliminate the long kick off, they could make it only two in the tackle from a kick off to start with, see how that goes.

Teams can then decide to go long or short.

Exactly… coaches need to coach their players to protect themselves eg. 2 players make the initial contact with a roving 3rd that joins post contact…have an impact point in the midriff-chest region and get your head to the side…

You are never gonna totally avoid poor contact but that can happen on any tackle so unless we are outlawing tackling concussions will persist…

 

[The Who]

Here's an idea for coaches to consider: train them to tackle around the waist. Study Jurbo's tackling style. It rarely fails.
If you look at the JWH collision the four Illawarra players are all going high with the intention of hurting the ball runner. Defenders look upon it as a "free hit", but it is dangerous.
If the principle intention of a tackle is to bring the ball runner to the ground, which I thought it was, then make contact first with the torso, head to the side (away from the turf) of the attacker, hold on, slide down, bring the two legs together and use the attacker's momentum to bring him to a crashing halt on the ground. When done correctly there is little chance of the defender getting hurt. A good low tackle can knock the wind out of a ball runner though.
If, however, the aim is to smash the ball-runner then that's when incidents like the JWH one occur.

 

[Jay Eagle]

I have no idea why players don't try to kick the ball low and hard towards the side line.. just aim for between the 40 and 30m lines and top the ball a little or even place the ball sideways on the mound.
It's a footy and the bounce is unpredictable.. could cause a fumble or a bounce towards the kicking team for a regather or it goes into touch..
So on the chances of probability you have
1. Opposition catch ball
2. Opposition knock ball on
3. Ball hits Opposition and gathered by kicking team
4. Ball hits Opposition and regathered by opposition
5. Ball goes into touch

So 3 of those 5 scenarios favour the kicking team. Rather than just kick deep to the Opposition.

I've seen this a few times and it works yet it's not something taken up as a tactic.. I even think I've seen a game where DCE did this.

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

If concussions and big hits are the problem, kickoffs are far less of a risk than every one of the 200+ other tackles in the game. Really have to go back to the old 5m rule and get rid of the 10m rule. NRL won't do that.

I don't agree of need for the kickoff to be changed at all, but if it must changed, make it that if you catch the ball on the full inside your own 20m line, its a dead ball and then play recommences with a 20m tap.

 

[Once Was Brissie Kid]

I have no idea why players don't try to kick the ball low and hard towards the side line.. just aim for between the 40 and 30m lines and top the ball a little or even place the ball sideways on the mound.
It's a footy and the bounce is unpredictable.. could cause a fumble or a bounce towards the kicking team for a regather or it goes into touch..
So on the chances of probability you have
1. Opposition catch ball (safe)
2. Opposition knock ball on (lost)
3. Ball hits Opposition and gathered by kicking team (lost)
4. Ball hits Opposition and regathered by opposition (safe)
5. Ball goes into touch (lost)

So 3 of those 5 scenarios favour the kicking team. Rather than just kick deep to the Opposition.

I've seen this a few times and it works yet it's not something taken up as a tactic.. I even think I've seen a game where DCE did this.

You're spot on. Same with drop outs.

 

[Ryan]

Ridiculous. It'll be touch footy and lose it allure soon. I'd rather they make it compulsory to wear headgear.

 

[Frogz]

4 in a tackle is just stupid. Suli went in with the "big hit" and it backfired. Play on.

 

[Will on the hill]

I have no idea why players don't try to kick the ball low and hard towards the side line.. just aim for between the 40 and 30m lines and top the ball a little or even place the ball sideways on the mound.
It's a footy and the bounce is unpredictable.. could cause a fumble or a bounce towards the kicking team for a regather or it goes into touch..
So on the chances of probability you have
1. Opposition catch ball
2. Opposition knock ball on
3. Ball hits Opposition and gathered by kicking team
4. Ball hits Opposition and regathered by opposition
5. Ball goes into touch

So 3 of those 5 scenarios favour the kicking team. Rather than just kick deep to the Opposition.

I've seen this a few times and it works yet it's not something taken up as a tactic.. I even think I've seen a game where DCE did this.

It's common place in NFL and they don't have knock ons and if the ball goes out the receiving team gets the ball, so it'd work even better in league.

If you hit it hard enough in just the right spot you can get the ball to bounce unbelievably high after grubbering along the ground for the first few metres and it can fly over the defence and into touch. DCE definitely tried it a few times with mixed results.

When I heard about the rule changes around short kickoffs/dropouts this type of kick from DCE was the first thing I thought of. Still hopeful he has been practising them but is saving them for later in the season because the element of surprise gives it a much bigger chance of success.

 

[Pete W]

If they want to make a change stop punishing defenders that make Jake style copybook tackles. While players are encouraged to gang tackle while standing bolt upright we will continue see these incidents, regardless of how big a run up they have.

And this can all be traced back to literally one moment in the game's history: Bellamy deploying the wrestle. So effective that the game evolved into this mess. As you say, if the NRL are so keen to tamper, then they should be rewarding classic technique, and certainly not penalising it! Ffs

 

[The '47ers]

Kicking on the 5th with the fullback/wingers running back into it will be next 🙄