I like golden point, simply for the fact that you get up to 10 more minutes of a close game. It's just unfortunate that the refs and players have turned it into a field goal-a-thon, which is particularly bad because the players are generally hopeless at kicking them.
I don't think golden try is the solution on consistency grounds. You shouldn't change the rules of the game just because it's extra time. Having said that it should make for a very interesting extra time if it was golden try. But a field goal is just as legitimate a scoring play as a try and to ban it would make no sense. You'd see five shots at field goal in the last 10 of regular time and then suddenly the game will change. It doesn't sit right.
I don't mind the idea of the side getting to four points first winning, except it will look ridiculous if one side finishes in front but still doesn't "win" because they only got one or two points in front. That rules that idea out for me.
One of the reasons I don't like the bitching about golden point is that scrapping it will not get rid of the field goal shots and referee timidness, because that is regularly seen in the last 10 minutes of regular time anyway when scores are tied. So that to me says the solution is more about fixing the refs. It can't be that hard. They just need to be told that they must blow a penalty if they think it's warranted. Tell both captains before the toss for extra time that markers must be square etc or they'll blow the whistle.
I have also never liekd the fact that it can still be a draw after 90 mins. If it's not okay to have a draw after 80 it's stupid that it's okay after 90. This was done only to placate people like Bennett who whinged about extra time burning players out or some such nonsense. For that reason I don't think just playing 10mins of normal extra time (not golden point) is really acceptable either. In a semi, yes, but not a normal game. You'll still get draws and that doesn't make much sense.
As for the point system, in Group 4 we have 2 points for the winner and 1 point for the loser in golden point. Basically the winner is given a win, because they did actually win in the end, and the loser gets a draw, because they did actually draw in regular time. Yes it mucks up the balance of points, but who gives a shit. It means both teams get at least a point and then they just play for an extra one. It also works because the game is more open and it's often a try that decides it. The NRL is so defence oriented and teams are so reluctant to try their hand for fear of mistakes they produce boring play and field goals from 40m out.
In summary, it's a hard one. No "solution" put forward will work in my opinion. I just think the refs need to grow a pair. That's the only solution that should be easily doable and that might bring results while keeping golden point. The only other is to scrap it. But then what about finals?
