Nrl Conference News *Posible Rule changes*

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Nrl Conference News
* NEW ZEALAND Warriors captain Steve Price put forward two rule changes: the first being to take restarts after penalty kicks from 20m in from the sideline rather than 10m and teams that miss a penalty shot do not regain possession with the defending team taking a 20m tap.

* NRL coaches expressing their concern over the scheduling of the World Cup in the 2008 pre-season.



These proposals will be considered before next season.

"It's great to have players looking at improvements to the game which is what inviting them to events like this is all about," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.

While all clubs were represented yesterday there were five first grade coaches missing.

Brisbane's Wayne Bennett had already confirmed he needed to spend time with the Broncos at training after being away on the Kangaroo tour.

St George Illawarra's Nathan Brown and Parramatta coach Brian Smith have both been ill this week, Manly's Des Hasler is away on family commitments and Storm coach Craig Bellamy is bringing his family down from Brisbane to Melbourne.

When asked if all coaches should come to the event, Knights mentor Michael Hagan said: "Yes. I guess it's important for as many coaches as possible to be here."

Tigers coach Tim Sheens added: "It depends on the reasons. If it's to do with apathy towards this event that would be disappointing, but if it's a genuine reason, fair enough."

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

AND

BY Jeff Dunne
December 9, 2005

REPEAT offenders at the judiciary, such as Roosters prop Adrian Morley and Raiders hooker Simon Woolford, will be given some relief after the NRL announced key changes to the system yesterday.

The details were unveiled at the NRL's annual conference.

The loading from grade one careless tackles will now only stay active for 12 months and not two years.

The matter came to a head when Woolford copped an eight-week ban for a grade-two dangerous throw after a high number of loading points from a series of careless high tackle charges.

"It's like any court, if you go in with a parking fine and the next time you go in to avoid an offence like speeding it doesn't really impact on the other," Canberra coach Matt Elliott said. "My initial reaction is that it's certainly an improvement."

Changes were also made to the judiciary system involving spear tackles and high tackles.

Match review chairman Greg McCallum said the spear tackle charge would be broadened to cover more than the person who made the lift.

"Previous guidelines essentially meant that only the player lifting was likely to be charged, but it can be that a second player may be the one who contributes to a dangerous throw or it may be that he has turned a legitimate drive into a dangerous tackle," he said.



The Daily Telegraph