Passing

[Headless Chook]

The dumbest thing Penrith did was at u/12's I think, they changed it from 10m back to 5m.
Now you would think that would help kids learn to be a bit better with ball in hand but not if they haven't been taught how to pass or read what a defence is doing. some first graders struggle doing that. All it did was keep the bigger boys in the game longer because they didn't have to get back 10m to be onside. They just stay fresher for longer periods a dominated even more.
Your very lucky to have someone up there from crl who is willing to help. When they introduced the rule in Penrith I actually spoke to Don Feltis who was the boss of the junior league at the time why they did it and I said to him that it will only benefit the bigger kids. His response was shithouse "teach your kids how to tackle properly". I wasn't the only coach to express that opinion and we were all shocked at his response.
My boys were really small compared to most other teams in the comp and isaid that this rule is going to hamper the smaller agile sides because they will just get bashed in defence. His response "teach them to pass the ball quicker" this is the bloke who was running the league. By the time my halfback had shifted the ball to our 5/8 or a wide running bac rower the defence was in there face. Even the really good sides have no ball players because its basically 3 forwards a shift play that doesn't go more then 3 passes another hit up and kick. Pretty boring for 15 yr olds playing div1 in arguably the hardest comp in all of Sydney.

I thought defences weren't allowed to move until the ball had been passed to the first receiver?

On the 5m rule, the plus side is that it gives your smaller players a chance to get on top of the big kids before they get mobile.

The worst rule is not being allowed to run from dummy half in my opinion. If you have a small team, thats the easiest way to break up the defence of a bigger team. My brother coaches Western Region U/11's each year in the PSSA competition. They are always way overmatched in the size department when playing the metro teams and are hamstrung even further by the fact they have to do two passes enabling the bigger opponents to monster them.

I think its safe to say that the rules in the juniors need a major overhaul

[Guest]

I thought defences weren't allowed to move until the ball had been passed to the first receiver?

On the 5m rule, the plus side is that it gives your smaller players a chance to get on top of the big kids before they get mobile.

The worst rule is not being allowed to run from dummy half in my opinion. If you have a small team, thats the easiest way to break up the defence of a bigger team. My brother coaches Western Region U/11's each year in the PSSA competition. They are always way overmatched in the size department when playing the metro teams and are hamstrung even further by the fact they have to do two passes enabling the bigger opponents to monster them.

I think its safe to say that the rules in the juniors need a major overhaul

I think that is the rule in mini and mod until they get to the big full field. I'm note sure.
I don't see why they can't run from dummy half out of there own end of the field up until they pass half way.I still like the 2 pass rule because it teaches them to pass the ball.
Nothing worse then seeing a team trying to just barge over for a try from dummy half 2 or 3 tackles in a row.
The biggest issue in junior footy in Penrith especially, is the player transfers. The big clubs just rape the smaller clubs of there good players and nothing happens. They introduced a rule along the lines of no more than 1 player from one club to another in the same division. Problem was they never enforce it. The likes of St Mary's Windsor and Brothers just get away with it.
If you make a development side you are not allowed to transfer at all but that isn't enforced either.