Slow the ruck? It's six again!

[silvereagle]

The last thing the game needs is to get "faster"....
Continuous 15m dummy half scoots are about as anti-footy as you can get.

The SuperLeague vision lives on.

The focus shouldn't be on speeding up the ruck but nailing down the right amount of time for a defender to get back to marker after completing a tackle.

Wrestling in the tackle should be allowed if the player doing so is "continuously" maneuvering himself into a better position to get back to marker within a reasonable amount of time.

All you will achieve by speeding up the ruck is holes around the ruck touch football style and long distance tries starting from a boring show and go.

You might actually be better off with a legs tackle to slow down the play the ball if you change the focus to "allowing sufficient time for a defender to get back to a marker position" as it allows a sort of second mid body tackle wrestle after the tackle is completed to enable that player time to get into marker.

I like the rule change but a pity Junior Pearce is not an accountant. If the case he would have jointly announced " a time benchmark" for "a tackle". This is the same issue we have had with the wrestling tackle over the last few years. What is the "benchmark" time that referees will allow for a tackle? Is it 3 seconds?? 4 ? 5? Is this subjective? Key missing piece in an otherwise great initiative. Should be defined.... and should be the same for all referees.... and for all tackles.

That same time should be allowed where one defender brings down the ball carrier....as opposed to a 3 man gang tackle. The difference is that the former is rewarded for a great one-on-one tackle with more time and with 12 teammates already set in the defensive line .... while the latter are really pressured to get off the tackled player faster and with only 10 teammates set in the defensive line. Now there you have a great initiative with everyone playing to the same rules, minimising referee subjectivity and rewarding great tackles

Where are the accountants when you want them!!.

 

[The better Robbo]

Great idea BUT..... So there's 1 minute until fulltime, we're behind the Storm by 1 point & we got six tackles at the halfway line. The ref keeps giving Manly "six again" including when now inside the Storm 20m line, right in front of the goal posts. Are Manly allowed to opt for a penalty goal instead of another "six again"?

There would have to be a penalty and sin bin for continues infringements otherwise it would be taken advantage of in a situation like that

 

[mave]

I like the rule change but a pity Junior Pearce is not an accountant. If the case he would have jointly announced " a time benchmark" for "a tackle". This is the same issue we have had with the wrestling tackle over the last few years. What is the "benchmark" time that referees will allow for a tackle? Is it 3 seconds?? 4 ? 5? Is this subjective? Key missing piece in an otherwise great initiative. Should be defined.... and should be the same for all referees.... and for all tackles.

That same time should be allowed where one defender brings down the ball carrier....as opposed to a 3 man gang tackle. The difference is that the former is rewarded for a great one-on-one tackle with more time and with 12 teammates already set in the defensive line .... while the latter are really pressured to get off the tackled player faster and with only 10 teammates set in the defensive line. Now there you have a great initiative with everyone playing to the same rules, minimising referee subjectivity and rewarding great tackles

Where are the accountants when you want them!!.

The NRL have spent the last 25 years tweaking rules to try and make a Jake T type of tackling style basically non-existant. He is clearly an exception to the norm.

1 on 1 should be the benchmark, and encouraged.
Current rules and interpretation encourage the opposite.

A "time" defined ruck will never happen here, due to the comparison to NFL, and the desire to make things quicker. I personally agree with the concept though.

The best we could hope for is that legs tackles are rewarded by allowing the tackler to get back to marker, before the ball can be played.
You would think in 2020 and the age of limiting head knocks that a tweak such as this would be a no-brainer, without a major rule change for people to cry about.

 

[Scorpio]

Penalty Broncos/Rabbitohs

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Penalty Broncos/Rabbitohs

So true, but funny at the same time

 

[Will on the hill]

Might be too complicated for refs to apply on the fly but I'd like to see a count of held, 2, 3, 4, play it, applied for 1 on 1 tackles then reduce the count by 1 for each extra player in the tackle.

 

[Eagles2nv]

This 6 again will have a big impact in he early weeks as fatigue will be a big factor with effectively starting cold turkey.

Might lead to extra injuries.

I do think it will lead to extra tries through. The fit teams are going to enjoy the rule.

 

[The Who]

I like what PV is doing. He's listening to fans like us and trying to return RL to a more free-flowing, less structured and less coach-driven sport.
One ref is an obvious winner for me. The NRL is the only comp that had two refs and it was a failure. Hopefully by having just one ref we'll get quicker and more decisive decisions. Of course, this won't eliminate mistaken calls but it should mean that the play moves on quickly and there is less downtime for debating decisions plus less video interference.
As for the hold-down-six-more-sets rule: It's worth a go. I'm assuming that you won't be able to take a shot for goal, and that the ref will be able to send off players for repeated infringements. This will force the need to introduce a five-minute sin bin as 10-minutes is too heavy a burden for such indiscretions.
I'm delighted that we now have a man in charge of RL who is strong and seems to have the best interests of the sport at heart - not self interest like that last bald git. The game had become far too predictable and stop-start.
Here's hoping we see less wrestle and more attacking flair.

 

[Woodsie]

There would have to be a penalty and sin bin for continues infringements otherwise it would be taken advantage of in a situation like that

In the telecrap today it says that refs will retain the right to give a penalty and sin bin if required ...

 

[Brissie Kid]

In the telecrap today it says that refs will retain the right to give a penalty and sin bin if required ...

This new NRL rule will end in tears. The tv shows will be searching out identical hold down tackle situations where one team will get "six again", another team will get the full penalty and another team will get no call at all.

To offset "the refs are inconsistent", the NRL should have also given the captain of the team that gets six again call an option to immediately stop play and take the full normal penalty instead.

The only other way to avoid this is remove the full penalty out of the rule book. In other words, every penalty is just "six again" and no kick for touch or goal ever.

 

[globaleagle]

I hear you, but there's been a ton of fans wanting the one ref back. Even on this forum?

The DT said in their poll that 2 refs was the biggest problem fans complained about and wanted only one again.

I agree about the better refs for sure.

FTR - I wasn't crowing for one ref, just wanted the two to do their damn job and stop playing favs.

 

[globaleagle]

Players will be punished for milking 'six again' under new NRL edict

An NRL document, sent to clubs on Friday, that contains several significant changes to general play has been obtained by the Herald.

www.smh.com.au

NRL players who attempt to milk a repeat-set infringement will be forced to hand the ball to the defending team, a new edict sent to clubs has revealed.

On Friday, the league sent a notice to all clubs which reveals details of the new six-again "procedure".



If, in the opinion of the referee, the attacking team deliberately breaks down play in an attempt to convert 'six again' to a full penalty, the referee will order a scrum with the loose head and feed given to the defending team," the document reads.

 

[Captain Moondog]

NRL one referee blueprint revealed with players facing automatic sin bin for ruck penalty
Michael Carayannis, The Daily Telegraph
May 15, 2020 6:11pm

Players will be automatically sin-binned if they give a ruck penalty away and the bunker will increase its monitoring of the play the ball in sweeping new changes ahead of the NRL’s return on May 28.
The Saturday Telegraph has obtained the new rules issued to all clubs on Friday detailing how the game will function with just one referee and the introduction of a six-again verbal restart instead of a penalty.
The “six again procedure” outlined a raft of changes after referee’s boss Bernie Sutton spent the past two days detailing the amendments.
The changes include;

– A ruck infringement will result in six again except for professional fouls, repeated infringements, where play has broken down. A full penalty can be blown in those instances.

– A professional foul or repeated infringement penalty will result in automatic sin bin.

– The referee will control the 10 metres with the assistance of an open side touch judge.

– Touch judge nearest the ruck will assist with monitoring the play the ball and is able to step onto the field.

– There will be a ruck spotter in the bunker who will assist the referee during breaks in play.

– If the referee decides a player while in possession deliberately breaks down play to milk a six again call into a full penalty the referee will order a scrum and hand possession to the defending team.

The six-again rule covers off holding down in a tackle, hand on the ball, crowding and leg pulls. The likes of grapples, facials and chicken wings will continue to be penalised and punished in the traditional way.

The documents also states in “a full penalty for a professional foul or repeated infringements, the offending player will be sent to the sin bin”.

“A repeated infringement scenario may arise where multiple six again restarts have been awarded and harsher action is requited”.

Teams do not have to be warned before the sin bin is used.

Markers not square will remain a penalty so too if an attacking player incorrectly plays the ball.

 

[jbb/james]

I like the rule change but a pity Junior Pearce is not an accountant. If the case he would have jointly announced " a time benchmark" for "a tackle". This is the same issue we have had with the wrestling tackle over the last few years. What is the "benchmark" time that referees will allow for a tackle? Is it 3 seconds?? 4 ? 5? Is this subjective? Key missing piece in an otherwise great initiative. Should be defined.... and should be the same for all referees.... and for all tackles.

That same time should be allowed where one defender brings down the ball carrier....as opposed to a 3 man gang tackle. The difference is that the former is rewarded for a great one-on-one tackle with more time and with 12 teammates already set in the defensive line .... while the latter are really pressured to get off the tackled player faster and with only 10 teammates set in the defensive line. Now there you have a great initiative with everyone playing to the same rules, minimising referee subjectivity and rewarding great tackles

Where are the accountants when you want them!!.

I was rabbiting on for years on. Few of these sites that refs should carry a small palm device

Essentially a clicker, as a guide
When ref deems tackled, he clicks , it buzzs after a time. He then uses judgeemnt on interference, milking.
It could count tackles if refs wanted it but that may be too cumbersome on the go.

But a click and buzz time standard refs carry. It would become habit

Hooked up like sports ears or on tv , the screen, so everyone gets a flow might make crowd behaviour a better thing also

 

[MissKate]

I was rabbiting on for years on. Few of these sites that refs should carry a small palm device

Essentially a clicker, as a guide
When ref deems tackled, he clicks , it buzzs after a time. He then uses judgeemnt on interference, milking.
It could count tackles if refs wanted it but that may be too cumbersome on the go.

But a click and buzz time standard refs carry. It would become habit

Hooked up like sports ears or on tv , the screen, so everyone gets a flow might make crowd behaviour a better thing also

Nice idea but still so objective, still left up to the ref as to when they click the timing device. The refs hold so much/too much power, which is too often abused

 

[MissKate]

NRL one referee blueprint revealed with players facing automatic sin bin for ruck penalty
Michael Carayannis, The Daily Telegraph
May 15, 2020 6:11pm

Players will be automatically sin-binned if they give a ruck penalty away and the bunker will increase its monitoring of the play the ball in sweeping new changes ahead of the NRL’s return on May 28.
The Saturday Telegraph has obtained the new rules issued to all clubs on Friday detailing how the game will function with just one referee and the introduction of a six-again verbal restart instead of a penalty.
The “six again procedure” outlined a raft of changes after referee’s boss Bernie Sutton spent the past two days detailing the amendments.
The changes include;

– A ruck infringement will result in six again except for professional fouls, repeated infringements, where play has broken down. A full penalty can be blown in those instances.

– A professional foul or repeated infringement penalty will result in automatic sin bin.

– The referee will control the 10 metres with the assistance of an open side touch judge.

– Touch judge nearest the ruck will assist with monitoring the play the ball and is able to step onto the field.

– There will be a ruck spotter in the bunker who will assist the referee during breaks in play.

– If the referee decides a player while in possession deliberately breaks down play to milk a six again call into a full penalty the referee will order a scrum and hand possession to the defending team.

The six-again rule covers off holding down in a tackle, hand on the ball, crowding and leg pulls. The likes of grapples, facials and chicken wings will continue to be penalised and punished in the traditional way.

The documents also states in “a full penalty for a professional foul or repeated infringements, the offending player will be sent to the sin bin”.

“A repeated infringement scenario may arise where multiple six again restarts have been awarded and harsher action is requited”.

Teams do not have to be warned before the sin bin is used.

Markers not square will remain a penalty so too if an attacking player incorrectly plays the ball.

OMG all I can hear is ‘Jake, Jake, Jake’ it’s scary

 

[Woodsie]

Get off them quick .... they will run you ragged ...

Get off them slow ... the 6 agains will run you ragged ...

Who and how the bench is used will become a major part of tactics .... the 14 to 17 become even more important ....

 

[Ranga]

I must admit, I am not a fan of rule changes once the competition is under way. I get the one-ref change from a cost perspective - the NRL shouldn't dress it up any other way - and am fairly ambivalent about it generally (unless the person refereeing our games is H Perenara, then I am scared $hitless).

But I can't work out why they have brought in the 6 to go change at this point in time. In my view, it is a material change that could have had a big influence over for and against, not to mention the results, of the first two rounds. It just seems a little amateurish to me... In the AFL, even where they acknowledge a rule needs to be changed early in the season, they won't change it until the end of the year in order to protect the integrity of the competition. I actually feel as though the NRL are trying to distract us from something else, but that probably is more indicative of how much trust I place in the administration...

As for the rule itself, if the ref has the discretion to blow a penalty or simply wave 6 again, send a player to the bin or not, and with the bunker involved... I am not convinced it will be a success. Again, I think it is amateurish not to trial it pre-season or in end of season competition matches that have no influence on the Top 8.

 

[Will on the hill]

This is gonna drastically effect the flow of the game. Something this drastic needs to be practiced in a full preseason and trials, not just for the players but for the refs to all get on the same page, for the sake of consistency.

My tip, bet the overs on total points while teams/refs become accustomed to the new meta, because there is gonna be some 40-30 score lines.