Change to the kickoff rule 2026

[siv]

As siv said, I think the biggest drawback of the bench idea is/could be players getting less minutes overall. Previously the 19th player (dropped on game day) often found himself playing NSW/QLD Cup so was still getting match fit. That seems less likely if a player needs to be sitting on the bench during a game.

The only way to get around this is to mandate all bench players play lower grades and for players 14 to 30+6 to play before NRL games on game day

Maybe setting something like playing 20 or 40 minutes with only 2 fresh reserves

By doing this you suddenly have a extra 4 to 6 players playing RG which will result in a instant standard improvement and reduce the gap between NRL and RG

Scheduling has to be fixed so RG games are played immediately prior to NRL fixtures

 

[siv]

We should also remove 7 tackle sets from

1 - ALL legitimate field goal attempts
2 - kicks within the 40m attacking zone

The rule was only brought in for long range kicks over Billy Slaters head

 

[Chins]

The only way to get around this is to mandate all bench players play lower grades and for players 14 to 30+6 to play before NRL games on game day

Maybe setting something like playing 20 or 40 minutes with only 2 fresh reserves

By doing this you suddenly have a extra 4 to 6 players playing RG which will result in a instant standard improvement and reduce the gap between NRL and RG

Scheduling has to be fixed so RG games are played immediately prior to NRL fixtures

Its not the 70s we don't want anyone backing up.

 

[Valheru]

I think the balance between ensuring players get game time is a delicate one. Especially with the demands of adding extra teams to the mix. Cause those fringe guys do need playing minutes to improve, and that's best done most of the time in reggies. Going to be plenty of backs who end up on a bench never to touch the ball.

Why you would want a 1 to 1 bench and replacement allocation is beyond me. Most coaches are going to rest a player or two and bring them back on. So this is the perfect balance that helps when concussions ruin your lineup.

4 forwards and 2 backs will be the standard with one of those backs being able to play halves unless they have a ready made option on the field they can shift around.

It wouldn't be a 1 to 1 thing in most games, i foresee 4-5 of the 8 players being used most times but it gives the coaches coverage over more positions in case of HIA and injury.

I dont see the playing time as a big issue. Plenty of other sports have bigger benches where players rarely get game time and they manage it just fine.

 

[siv]

Its not the 70s we don't want anyone backing up.

Cool

Lets have all 18 to 30+6 players standing on the sideline like in NFL

Just a question how will fringe players develop or gain match fitness?

 

[Front-rower2]

We should also remove 7 tackle sets from

1 - ALL legitimate field goal attempts
2 - kicks within the 40m attacking zone

The rule was only brought in for long range kicks over Billy Slaters head

Define a legitimate attempt at field goal. Ask the player? Yeah mate, I tried for a field goal wink wink

I think there should a line beyond the in goal. If the ball goes past that line then it’s a 7 tackle set.

 

[Chins]

Cool

Lets have all 18 to 30+6 players standing on the sideline like in NFL

Just a question how will fringe players develop or gain match fitness?

Will be up to the coaches to rotate the fringe players in and out of cup

 

[Coastbloke]

I’m so thoroughly sick of the NRL fiddling with the rules of the game without IRL approval. There’s a rule book. Stick to it.

 

[siv]

Define a legitimate attempt at field goal. Ask the player? Yeah mate, I tried for a field goal wink wink

I think there should a line beyond the in goal. If the ball goes past that line then it’s a 7 tackle set.

Think when Slater dropped one day 5m out 10m in from.the sideline then kicked it and it became a grubber in goal. Was never aimed at the posts

I was never a fieldgoal attempt

Verses shockers but were real attempts

 

[siv]

Will be up to the coaches to rotate the fringe players in and out of cup

Why bother we didnt in 2020 - 21

 

[Timmah]

The only way to get around this is to mandate all bench players play lower grades and for players 14 to 30+6 to play before NRL games on game day

Maybe setting something like playing 20 or 40 minutes with only 2 fresh reserves

By doing this you suddenly have a extra 4 to 6 players playing RG which will result in a instant standard improvement and reduce the gap between NRL and RG

Scheduling has to be fixed so RG games are played immediately prior to NRL fixtures

Absurd to expect elite athletes to back up given the pace and intensity of the modern game.

This made sense when the game was half the speed up until the early 90s, it doesn't now.

As for scheduling, there are 58 games out of the 154 played in the NSW Cup regular season are curtain raisers to NRL, which is a pretty decent ratio. Unfortunately given the split between state cups means its just not possible to have more.

 

[Stinkfinger]

The restart after play dies ingoal is all wrong. If it's an error by the attacking team, the defending team gets the ball back 100% of the time, gains 20 metres and gets a free tackle. If it's the defending side a contest takes place with a 50% chance the side making the error regains possession.

 

[Nutz]

The restart after play dies ingoal is all wrong. If it's an error by the attacking team, the defending team gets the ball back 100% of the time, gains 20 metres and gets a free tackle. If it's the attacking side a contest takes place with a 50% chance the side making the error regains possession.

Leave rules alone. Our game has survived for a long time without changing rules every year.
New rules get exploited anyway.
Bellyache will be all over it.
One thing I'd like to see though, is a slightly smaller and lighter ball for the NRLW. They struggle to kick goals from the sideline, find touch and even pass the friggen ball. It detracts from the spectacle of the game when they get a penalty in the middle of the field and they elect to take the tap because they can't find touch, I've seen that about four times so far.

 

[Wb1234]

Define a legitimate attempt at field goal. Ask the player? Yeah mate, I tried for a field goal wink wink

I think there should a line beyond the in goal. If the ball goes past that line then it’s a 7 tackle set.

Kicking a drop kick at the posts is pretty much evidence of a field goal attempt

When else do players use a drop kick

 

[edabomb]

We should also remove 7 tackle sets from

1 - ALL legitimate field goal attempts
2 - kicks within the 40m attacking zone

The rule was only brought in for long range kicks over Billy Slaters head

So it'd be a 6 tackle restart if you dropkick it drom 40-50 out and miss to keep the ball out of Reece Walsh's hands? Seems like it might be exploited.

 

[Nutz]

Kicking a drop kick at the posts is pretty much evidence of a field goal attempt

When else do players use a drop kick

Exackary

 

[Wb1234]

With the bench can teams stack it with mostly forwards then one or two utility / half then if the game doesn’t require the latter they just keep the forwards fresh and smashing up the middle

Good coaches are going to have a field day with it

 

[Nutz]

With the bench can teams stack it with mostly forwards then one or two utility / half then if the game doesn’t require the latter they just keep the forwards fresh and smashing up the middle

Good coaches are going to have a field day with it

Craig will be devising a plan right now.

 

[Chins]

Craig will be devising a plan right now.

Hasn't had a plan without Smith and cheating. Melbourne don't worry me

 

[siv]

As for scheduling, there are 58 games out of the 154 played in the NSW Cup regular season are curtain raisers to NRL, which is a pretty decent ratio. Unfortunately given the split between state cups means its just not possible to have more.

Not hard with 13 clubs also eunning a NSW Cup and Flegg team

Just align NSW Cup and JF schedules with NRL schedules

- Newtown / Cronulla should align
- Wests / Wesrs-Tigers should align

Then align the only 2 other clubs with a Qld NRL club
- Bears / Fiji align with say Nth Qld NRL weekends

Remaining weekends used to used to complete the NSW draw

In Qld you first align - Brisbane v Gold Coast, Nth Qld v Redcliffe style games.

Then manage rest of the Qld Cup draw around this

Of course bringing the 4 Qld clubs into a National RG improves this further