2008 rule changes

[Raidersrawesome]

There would be an issue with some games being worth 3 points and others being worth 2.

I'd like to see Golden Point become Golden try. The game would only finish after a try is scored but if a team kicks a field goal and is ahead after the 10 mins then they still win the game. I think it would force better attacking options in Golden Point rather then just have a field goal shootout.

the field goal shootout usually starts in the last 5 -10 minutes of ordinary time anyway , then it continues into GP , A try option is always there in GP its upto the team if they're good enough to take it.

I also think if who ever packs the scrum should stay in it , it anoys the hell out of me seeing the fullback and centres run in to stop the clock , wasnt it only a year or so ago that if you broke from the scrum they restarted the clock , where did that go?

Interchange needs to be modified , it sucks how they go flatout for 15 then come off to bring on another fresh forward to do the same.

 

[Stormboyz]

I'd like to see the clock stopped when a player is attempting a conversion. Stop the clock from the moment the try is scored and then restart it as the player attempting the conversion kicks the ball. Too much time wasted.

 

[Hari Kari]

Maybe call your thread "Rule Changes I'd like for 2008."


The current title suggests you'll find facts inside rather than speculation.

 

[The Engineers Room]

Any dummy half run outside your own half results in a changeover if the dummy half is tackled with the ball.

The rule about no restart to the tackle count with a penalty has merit

Also, a charge down doesn't restart the tackle count.

 

[Hari Kari]

Any dummy half run outside your own half results in a changeover if the dummy half is tackled with the ball.

The rule about no restart to the tackle count with a penalty has merit

Also, a charge down doesn't restart the tackle count.

Why don't we just make it touch football then?

 

[NK Arsenal]

cheer leaders have to strip after every try scored.

 

[fourxman]

These are my rule changes:

1. If a player hits the corner post he is not out! He is only out when the ball or he touches the touch line or outside it.

2. No 1 on 1 rakes. So a player who thinks he is the only guy in the tackle when he is not does not get a penalty.

3. Set the defensive line back 10 metres from the back of the scrum. At the moment there is no advantage to the scrums contributing to a lack of attacking moves off scrums.

4. Get rid of the video ref and put video boxes on the side for the actual referee to determine from the replays. Similar to when review on plays in the NFL. This would mean the same person who is refereeing the game determines the trys.

5. I would like to see Golden Point be replaced with extra time with the winner after the total additional time has been played. If there is no winner then draw!

6. If we are to still have video referees, why can't they rule on forward pass, they rule on offside the concept is the same.

7. Put Benefit of the Doubt on the Defensive Team rather then the Attacking Team. If there is doubt that means that it is not certain that he scored the Try.

 

[_Johnsy]

Whoever packs in the scrum to have time blown off, must repack in the scrum.

If time off is blown when a team wants a scrum packed in the 76th minute, the same must apply for the entire 80 minute eg, in the 2nd minute.

Attacking team must also be back the 10m from the ruck, already a rule but never enforced.

All players must stay in scrum until ref calls break, touchies have biggest role to play here.

A player must take the kick for goal in a predetermined amount of time (to alleviate time wasting). I know it is already a rule, but when the kicker has 10 sec left the ref tells him. If he does not take the kick in the alloted time, no points are awarded.

Both feet behind the try line.

Grapple/or high tackle is a instant 2-3, maybe even 5 minute sin bin. If we want it out of our game we must get serious about it.

3 points for a win, 2 for golden point win, 1 for a draw.

F/A to decide a position on ladder only if the two teams have the same amount of 3 point wins, then 2 point wins, and lastly draws. Who ever has the most 3 point wins gets higher spot, if teams have same it then goes to 2 point wins, and lastly 1 point wins.

Only 4 interchanges in each 1/2 (3 forward interchanges and 1 back interchange)

Video ref can either call, or not call on plays after a general play stoppage eg. scrum has been set (ball kicked into touch, ref calls not touched by defensive team, but VR has a look and he has). I have seen instances where in some games they do, and some they dont. Consistency please.

No part of a players foot/body can be over dead goal line, and he catches and is awarded a tap. If this occurs he should be deemed to be in play and a dropout ensues. Dont understand how this rule is treated differently between sideline and dead ball line.

This is a bit radical, but could make games extremelly interesting. A team can nominate one 5 minute period where any pointts they score are worth double. If both teams call the same period, the away team is given priority. Home team can call another period. Choices to be made before kickoff. (I think about that one and one minute I think, yeah it's ok, but a bit later I think that is the worst fuggin idea in the universe.)

 

[lockyno1]

Only change that I want is interchanges reduced to AT LEAST 10. But I would hope we could go down to 8.

 

[Quidgybo]

3. And finally, I would like a challenge system brought in.

The referee makes a decision on ALL plays (including tries) and each team is given 3 chances per game to challenge these decisions. if they get it right, they keep their challenge, otherwise they forfeit one. This rule is the most important IMO as it will not only stop us seeing 10 video ref decisions per game, but it will also increase the standard of refereeing as they are forced to watch the game more closely and make more decisions on the fly.

I think there has to be a real cost for failed challenges to discourage frivolous challenges. Three challenges per team, each challenge counts (you don't get another one for successfully challenging) and if you lose a challenge, you lose an interchange. If you've got no interchanges left then you can't challenge. As well as a general reduction in video referrals, the other side effect would almost certainly be a reduction in the number of interchanges used as coaches would always want to keep at least one or two in reserve in case they need to challenge a last minute or golden-point decision.

The key point that needs to be made about the challenge system is the elimination of doubt. For every challenge, a decision has already been made by the referee. That is the default position and only if the the video shows "indisputable evidence" (the NFL standard of proof) is the decision overturned. *Any* doubt and the decision as made on the field stands. There is no such thing as a line ball or 50-50 video ref decision in the challenge. Any such situations are by definition not without doubt or dispute and so the existing decision stands.

Who would have the power to challenge it? The captain or coach.

The captain of the aggrieved team.

How long do they have to challenge it?

In the NFL, you have until the next play. So for a try you'd have until the kicker runs in to kick the conversion. For a no try you'd have until the line-dropout, or scrum feed, or twenty metre tap or the next play the ball. But there's nothing to stop us putting an arbitrary time limit on it as well like fifteen seconds to stop coaching staff looking at television replays before telling the captain to challenge.

Once the ref blows for a try can it be challenged?

Of course. You can't challenge a decision that hasn't been made. The on field officials make all calls as they see them with no option to second guess themselves by sending it to the video. If the referee calls no try and the attacking team feels certain it was a try then the attacking captain challenges by getting the referee's attention and giving the television signal. If the referee calls try and the defending team feels certain it wasn't then the defending captain gets the referee's attention and gives the television signal.

Leigh.

 

[Quidgybo]

I'd like to see Golden Point become Golden try. The game would only finish after a try is scored but if a team kicks a field goal and is ahead after the 10 mins then they still win the game.

The main problem with that is equivalence. If one team gives away 10 penalties in front of their posts and have 20 points in penalty goals scored against them, why should they win by scoring a try when they're still 16 behind? If the only reason they're giving the penalties away is because they know they are essentially meaningless then the nature of the game will be changed by far more than any field goal shoot out where every other form of scoring is still valid. All my team needs to do is use any means legal or otherwise to stop the try. Strip in every play the ball if necessary. Doesn't matter if the ref sees it, it's only a penalty. Sooner or later he'll miss a strip and we've got the ball and a chance to trump any scoreline with a golden try. It'll be absolute chaos.

I've written on this at length previously but my suggestion would be a variation of the strictly golden try. Instead of just golden try ending the game, any combination of four points (ie. the equivalent of one "golden" try) ends the game. So if you score a golden try, game over, you win. But if you kick two penalty goals or a penalty goal and two field goals (or even four field goals if you've got time!) then equally, game over, you win. The difference being that penalties still count. You can't just give away penalties infinitum just to stop tries. But unlike golden point, one marginal penalty won't end the game. You need to give away at least two penalties in kicking range or a penalty and a couple of field goals to lose. And if no one scores four points, then the scoreline at the end of fives minutes each way stands. But either way, a try still becomes the only single score that trumps everything but it isn't the only score that counts - just as in the real game.

Leigh.

 

[_Johnsy]

The main problem with that is equivalence. If one team gives away 10 penalties in front of their posts and have 20 points in penalty goals scored against them, why should they win by scoring a try when they're still 16 behind? If the only reason they're giving the penalties away is because they know they are essentially meaningless then the nature of the game will be changed by far more than any field goal shoot out where every other form of scoring is still valid. All my team needs to do is use any means legal or otherwise to stop the try. Strip in every play the ball if necessary. Doesn't matter if the ref sees it, it's only a penalty. Sooner later he'll miss a strip and we've got the ball and a chance to trump any scoreline with a golden try. It'll be absolute chaos.

I've written on this at length previously but my suggestion would be a variation of the strictly golden try. Instead of just golden try ending the game, any combination of four points (ie. the equivalent of one "golden" try) ends the game. So if you score a golden try, game over, you win. But if you kick two penalty goals or a penalty goal and two field goals (or even four field goals if you've got time!) then equally, game over, you win. The difference being that penalties still count. You can't just give away penalties infinitum just to stop tries. But unlike golden point, one marginal penalty won't end the game. You need to give away at least two penalties in kicking range or a penalty and a couple of field goals to lose. And if no one scores four points, then the scoreline at the end of fives minutes each way stands. But either way, a try still becomes the only single score that trumps everything but it isn't the only score that counts - just as in the real game.

Leigh.

Leigh

IMO those examples would be considered a deliberate infringement. In GP any deliberate infringement could be given a 5 minute stint in the bin. Solves the problem.

 

[Quidgybo]

IMO those examples would be considered a deliberate infringement. In GP any deliberate infringement could be given a 5 minute stint in the bin. Solves the problem.

Yes and No. It puts the ref back in the centre of the result. That's not where we want him. We want matches won with desperate clock racing tries, not one dodgy penalty or sin bin decision. I'm not suggesting that either of those are not warranted on occassion or that referees won't make mistakes regardless of the rules, but you're setting the ref up for controversy and putting him in a position that he just doesn't need to be.

Leigh.

 

[nqboy]

Or we could just call it a draw and forget about the artificial GP.

 

[nqboy]

Nobody has ever shown me that there is anything wrong with a draw. Yeah, GP can be exciting but it is also crap entertainment not in the spirit of RL. Sort of like one day cricket. It's still cricket, just not real cricket.

 

[_Johnsy]

Nobody has ever shown me that there is anything wrong with a draw. Yeah, GP can be exciting but it is also crap entertainment not in the spirit of RL. Sort of like one day cricket. It's still cricket, just not real cricket.

You admit that it is exciting, but crap entertainment ?

Exactly what is your interpretation of the spirit of RL, and how is GP going against that spirit?

 

[Quidgybo]

Or we could just call it a draw and forget about the artificial GP.

And we hear that every time this conversation comes up. Fine, we take it as given that there is a substantial portion of fans who don't want golden anything. But in the meantime, it's here. So given a choice of golden options - point, try, first to four or any other variation, what would you prefer? Do you think the current option is the best of the bunch (even if you believe it to be a bad bunch)?

Leigh.

 

[brokendigit]

Rule Change Suggestions:

#1. A progressive reduction of interchange allowance. ie: 2008 - 10 per game, 2009 - 8 per game, 2010 - 6 per game.
#2. Serious Offences to carry a team (as well as individual) suspension. For example: If Joe Bloggs get suspended for 6 weeks for a serious (offences will need to be catagorized) foul, he sits out for that length of time, & his team plays with 1 less interchange player for the same period.
#3a. Video Ref can intervene at ANY time whilst the attacking team is in the opposition half, & EVERY try is deemed try or no try by the VR only.
or;
#3b. Scrap the VR entirely.

 

[nqboy]

And we hear that every time this conversation comes up. Fine, we take it as given that there is a substantial portion of fans who don't want golden anything. But in the meantime, it's here. So given a choice of golden options - point, try, first to four or any other variation, what would you prefer? Do you think the current option is the best of the bunch (even if you believe it to be a bad bunch)?

Leigh.

The best solution I have seen is probably the 4 point suggestion but, without a try, that might be hard to do in two periods of extra time. Presumably, the team in front at the end wins even if they haven't got a four point lead, adding to the artificiality of it (You've got to win by four but if you win by one after extra time, we'll give it to you anyway).

But the bottom line remains that any solution is just the chosen one of a very bad bunch. I don't want a choice of options, I just want the draws. And GP being the state of play atm is no justification for not raising the draw. "We've got it wrong, let's try and do the best we can with it" Why not just fix it?

 

[nqboy]

You admit that it is exciting, but crap entertainment ?

Exactly what is your interpretation of the spirit of RL, and how is GP going against that spirit?

It can be exciting. It can also be a farcical field goal-a-thon (and this is more common) and the potential for refs to decide the game with a poor decision to award a penalty is always there, particularly to the home side at the urging of a vocal crowd.

I find draws in RL exciting and don't see that GP is any advance on that. It just cheapens the game for mine.