New Rule for 9's

[Loobs]

Sounds stupid to me. Who plays conservatively in 9's anyway..?

 

[HappilyManly]

NEW RULE INTRODUCED FOR NINES
Written by STAFF WRITERS, December 10, 2015


THE NRL has announced a new rule for the Auckland Nines, giving teams a “free play” advantage when the opposing team makes a mistake.

The 16 clubs will do battle in the annual pre-season event at Eden Park on February 6 and 7, with NZ$2.6 million on offer.

The new rule is aimed at allowing the team which gains possession from a mistake to attempt a high risk play without fear of losing advantage.

Under the rule, the referee will call “zero tackle” when a team gains possession from a knock on, forward pass or accidental offside.

That will signal a “free play” which will enable the team which gains possession to have an extended advantage. This means they will retain the ball even if they make a mistake.

The advantage will only be complete if the team scores, if a player commits foul play or a player with the ball is tackled. If the ball is dropped or lost before the next play the ball, the referee will order a play the ball at the point of the original infringement.

The “free play – advantage” rule follows other Nines rule innovations including five-point tries when scored in the ‘bonus zone’, golden tries to decide matches and dropkicks for conversions.

NRL general manager of football Nathan McGuirk said: “We are hoping to see teams take advantage of this rule with some amazing, opportunistic plays, which we think will result in more points and more great tries scored for the fans.


Change to NRL Auckland Nines Laws “FREE PLAY” – ADVANTAGE

1. The Referee should look to play advantage wherever possible.

a. Following a knock on, forward pass, or accidental offside and where the non-offending team gains possession, the Referee will immediately call and signal “zero tackle” to indicate a “free play” and allow play to continue until the ball is correctly brought into play (or points are scored) at the next play-the-ball, providing the team attempting to take advantage is still in possession.

b. The advantage shall be deemed as complete when (a) the ball is correctly brought back into play i.e., play-the-ball on “zero tackle”;
(b) points have been scored (by scoring of a try or kicking a field goal), or (c) the team in possession is penalised for foul play.

c. For the purpose of this Law, the opposing team playing at the ball during the “free play” will not constitute possession, and the advantage should be allowed to continue.

d. If the non-offending team is still in possession at the next play-the-ball then the Referee will call and signal that tackle as “zero tackle”. If the team attempting to take advantage loses possession before the next play-the-ball then the Referee will blow his/her whistle and order a play-the-ball to the (original) non-offending team at the point of the original infringement

 

[damiennp90]

Pretty try sure this rule was used in England. I like it love attacking play.

 

[manlywarringah]

You've got to feel sorry for the refs with so many new rules and changes to old ones over the years.

Throw in the 9's rules and no wonder they make mistakes.

I'd say the video ref will have to remember the original spot to go back to. How will the ref remember if the play has gone all over the place?

Who'd want to be a ref?!

 

[Loobs]

I don't like the part where if you go for it and **** up it goes back to the ORIGINAL spot to start the set. That's gotta be a pain in the arse for the refs, plus they don't cop anything really for the mistake.

If a team is allowed to go for it and regardless of what happens they get the ball back, they should at least have to restart say at the line behind where they initially started. So like if you went for it from 15 out and knocked on, you get the restart back on the 20M line. Or just do away with this rule altogether.7 tackles is enough to come up with something...

 

[Frank]

They've got bigger problems than more enterprising play. For starters they are 4 players short.

 

[Shoe1]

That rule is ridiculous. It's a circular loop. Why is mistake number one worse than mistake number 2?

Punish team one for knocking on, but forgive team two for the same offense.

Is it April 1, or have we been had? :0)

 

[Shoe1]

Also, if the team scores on a "free play" they get made life members automatically.

 

[Loobs]

Would be good if you had a loop of:

One team knocking on, giving the ball to the other team who has a go on tackle 0, knocks it on, gets the ball back, knocks it on again, gives it to the other team who has a go on tackle 0, knocks it on, has another go, knocks its on, gives it back to the other team who then knoc...

 

[HappilyManly]

Would be good if you had a loop of:

One team knocking on, giving the ball to the other team who has a go on tackle 0, knocks it on, gets the ball back, knocks it on again, gives it to the other team who has a go on tackle 0, knocks it on, has another go, knocks its on, gives it back to the other team who then knoc...

Sounds like a Greenturd plan.

 

[Clay]

I like the rule, it's just an adjustment on the advantage rule.