Free play rule

[langpark]

I think this is one of the best ideas ever. The NRL have confirmed they will be implementing it now at this year's NRL 9s.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...utm_source=TelegraphSport&utm_medium=Facebook

I hope they also adopt it for regular NRL matches too.

PS: I hate how there's no mention of the Super League having this rule in place for two whole seasons now. They write the article as though it was their own new innovative idea. Typical.

 

[The Great Dane]

I think this is one of the best ideas ever. The NRL have confirmed they will be implementing it now at this year's NRL 9s.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...utm_source=TelegraphSport&utm_medium=Facebook

I hope they also adopt it for regular NRL matches too.

PS: I hate how there's no mention of the Super League having this rule in place for two whole seasons now. They write the article as though it was their own new innovative idea. Typical.

It's a terrible rule, no team should ever be rewarded for for no reason and getting a free play because the other team screwed up is being rewarded for no reason.

They didn't earn that extra play, so why should they get it.

 

[Evil Homer]

It's a terrible rule, no team should ever be rewarded for for no reason and getting a free play because the other team screwed up is being rewarded for no reason.

They didn't earn that extra play, so why should they get it.

No, you don't understand what the rule is. It's not an extra play, it's just a removal of the nonsensical 'advantage' situation which is a grey area and penalises teams that want to attack. There were a bunch of whining idiots over here too when it was first introduced who just saw the words 'free play' and started moaning without even knowing what it was, but it now has universal approval and is probably the best rule change that the sport over here has made in the last 10 years.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

So basically it is like the union advantage rule except limited by a tackle and not an arbitrary time duration? If so, yes, this is a much needed rule change, but they should change the name - free play sounds rubbish. Just call it "advantage".

 

[Evil Homer]

So basically it is like the union advantage rule except limited by a tackle and not an arbitrary time duration? If so, yes, this is a much needed rule change, but they should change the name - free play sounds rubbish. Just call it "advantage".

I don't watch RU so I don't know their rule, but that sounds correct. It just removes the advantage line and allows the advantage to continue until the end of the play.

Free play is not the official name, that is something that was made up by Sky Sports commentators. And yes, this rule has been in ESL for over two years and watching international/NRL matches without it is painful at this point.

 

[Rhyno]

I'd like to see this in the Nrl

 

[The Great Dane]

No, you don't understand what the rule is. It's not an extra play, it's just a removal of the nonsensical 'advantage' situation which is a grey area and penalises teams that want to attack. There were a bunch of whining idiots over here too when it was first introduced who just saw the words 'free play' and started moaning without even knowing what it was, but it now has universal approval and is probably the best rule change that the sport over here has made in the last 10 years.

I've seen it in practice and still think it's a stupid f##king rule.

And from what I've seen of it in practice, free play is a perfectly acceptable name for it because that is pretty much what it is.

It's basically a free ticket to do whatever you want with the ball without any consequences provided you're not tackled for one play simply because the opposition made a mistake, I've seen teams knock-on only for the opposition to pick up the ball and get a "free play" where they run the ball 50 meters clearly gaining an advantage because of the oppositions mistake to then knock the ball on themselves and be marched back down to where the original knock-on happened and receive the ball back, and I'm sorry but that's horse sh!t, why for that one play should their be no consequences for making mistakes that there're normally consequences for.

There's nothing nonsensical or grey about the advantage rule at all, in fact it's pretty bloody simple, if the other team makes a mistake it's a hand over, unless your team gains an advantage from that mistake by crossing the advantage line, in which case it's play on as the other team has already been punished enough for their mistake.

Sure I can see ways that the advantage rule could be improved, but the "free play" rule is way to lenient in the other direction and not the answer to the problem, if there is even a problem which I think is also arguable considering that I have never in my life heard anyone complain about the advantage rule until the RFL introduced the free play rule.

 

[langpark]

It's basically a free ticket to do whatever you want with the ball without any consequences provided you're not tackled for one play simply because the opposition made a mistake

One thing you don't seem to acknowledge in all this is the fact that errors are often 'forced' by the opposing team.

You're making it sound like knock-ons happen because they're too spastic to catch a ball, when in fact it's usually as a result of good rushing defence. So if you work hard to force the error, why shouldn't you be rewarded for it?

 

[no name]

I have never in my life heard anyone complain about the advantage rule .

I find that hard to believe. Advantage after a mistake is an often debated subject.

 

[Evil Homer]

There's nothing nonsensical or grey about the advantage rule at all, in fact it's pretty bloody simple, if the other team makes a mistake it's a hand over, unless your team gains an advantage from that mistake by crossing the advantage line, in which case it's play on as the other team has already been punished enough for their mistake.

Sure I can see ways that the advantage rule could be improved, but the "free play" rule is way to lenient in the other direction and not the answer to the problem, if there is even a problem which I think is also arguable considering that I have never in my life heard anyone complain about the advantage rule until the RFL introduced the free play rule.

It's completely nonsensical. Under the current NRL rules a team knocks on, the defender picks it up and sees a man out wide with nobody in front of him, passes it and the winger himself knocks on then it goes back for a scrum with the defending team getting the ball. But if the bloke runs two yards forward before throwing that pass and is deemed to have taken an 'advantage' then it's a scrum to the other team. That's nonsense, it's some 1920s shit.

The free play is not a "free ticket", it's not a trick play, it just gets rid of an anomaly in the rules and in the process creates a hell of a lot of excitement from a situation that was previously dull.

 

[rooster25]

It's completely nonsensical. Under the current NRL rules a team knocks on, the defender picks it up and sees a man out wide with nobody in front of him, passes it and the winger himself knocks on then it goes back for a scrum with the defending team getting the ball. But if the bloke runs two yards forward before throwing that pass and is deemed to have taken an 'advantage' then it's a scrum to the other team. That's nonsense, it's some 1920s shit.

The free play is not a "free ticket", it's not a trick play, it just gets rid of an anomaly in the rules and in the process creates a hell of a lot of excitement from a situation that was previously dull.

Thanks for clearing this up. At first I thought it was a gimmick for the nines however now you've explained it and it's advantages I'm all for it to be in the NRL. The advantage rule is always up in the air so this rule gets rid of the grey area plus makes teams want to attack which is missing in the NRL. Also great to see the NRL can learn off the ESL and hopefully this can be an international rule.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

I can see a lot of bombs being hoisted with the free play. Does it mean the defending team can just punch the ball into touch or something?

If a foul is committed by the defending team is it penalised or just ends the advantage?

 

[Evil Homer]

I can see a lot of bombs being hoisted with the free play. Does it mean the defending team can just punch the ball into touch or something?

If a foul is committed by the defending team is it penalised or just ends the advantage?

It's exactly the same as the previous advantage rule. So if a team puts a kick in on the 'free play' and the other team knocks it out of play downfield then the scrum would be formed downfield. If the defending team commits a foul then it would be penalised just like it is now, as a penalty is a greater advantage than a scrum. Again, this isn't some sort of trickshot, the only difference is that teams are free to counter-attack without worrying about whether or not they have crossed an imaginary advantage line.

There were a lot of teams hoisting bombs or just aimlessly kicking the ball away when the rule first came in but they quickly realised that that wasn't a smart thing to do and it was far better to just make as many yards as possible, take the tackle and look to get a quick play the ball and get the other team on the back foot.

 

[T-Boon]

So this rule sounds freaking awesome. Ive tried to youtube film of this in play from the Duper League but there is nothing.

My only concern is that it would make coaches who are already in mortal fear of errors even more conservative (except obviously on the free play).

I would be in favour of limiting it to a reward for successfully stripping or otherwise forcing an error in a 1 on 1 tackle.

 

[deluded pom?]

Didn't Hull score off a free play in the game against Wakey the other week?

 

[Evil Homer]

So this rule sounds freaking awesome. Ive tried to youtube film of this in play from the Duper League but there is nothing.

My only concern is that it would make coaches who are already in mortal fear of errors even more conservative (except obviously on the free play).

I would be in favour of limiting it to a reward for successfully stripping or otherwise forcing an error in a 1 on 1 tackle.

There is nothing because it's not a big change to the rules. It's not like some extra time multiball type thing with teams doing crazy trick plays, it just means teams are encouraged to attack and exploit a chance if there is one without worrying about turning the ball over on the first play. Most of the time they just take the hit up, sometimes you'll see a kick if there is some space. It's not even a free play, it's just removing the stupid 'advantage line' rule which has never made any sense. Honestly cannot believe this is not in the NRL yet. It's painful watching your matches without it.

 

[deluded pom?]

After about 70 mins on the game clock. Hull don't actually score off the free play but go darn close and score off the next PTB.

 

[T-Boon]

Honestly cannot believe this is not in the NRL yet. It's painful watching your matches without it.

It would be good to have it as a reward for play making rather than punishing an error.

I am thinking make it a 'free play' if you catch the ball on the ball from a kick (other than a kick off) and in defence if you successfully force an error in a 1 man tackle (including a successful strip).

 

[langpark]

There is nothing because it's not a big change to the rules. It's not like some extra time multiball type thing with teams doing crazy trick plays, it just means teams are encouraged to attack and exploit a chance if there is one without worrying about turning the ball over on the first play. Most of the time they just take the hit up, sometimes you'll see a kick if there is some space. It's not even a free play, it's just removing the stupid 'advantage line' rule which has never made any sense. Honestly cannot believe this is not in the NRL yet. It's painful watching your matches without it.

Yep, also gives them good incentive to pick it up and try something rather than just stare at it, waiting for the ref to blow the whistle and order a scrum, as they often do when they're knackered.

 

[adamkungl]

I was initially skeptical but after watching the last season of SL I wouldn't mind seeing this in the NRL. Could be a good way to introduce new attacking opportunities without disrupting the balance of the game much.