New NRL Rules for 2021

[NorthChook]

• the introduction of a two-point field goal for kicks taken from more than 40 metres out;
• six-again to be called for 10-metre infringements;
• penalties for teams if they leave a scrum before a referee calls "break";
• a play-the-ball restart if the ball or player with the ball goes over the sideline;
• The Bunker will now review replays after an on-field referee awards a try but a conversion attempt will not be allowed until it gets the green light;
• injured players will be interchanged if a trainer ask for play to be stopped;
• when a captain's challenge is inconclusive a team will not be docked for an unsuccessful attempt;
• and a handover will be ordered when a player does not make a genuine attempt to play the ball correctly with their foot.

Interesting dynamic with the 40m 2 point field goal - if you are down by two you may risk a long shot to even up the score late in a game? Also teams could risk overcoming a 1 point deficit late in a game but kicking one 40 out to win? Highly risky but interesting.

The forced interchange for players trainers call time off for will also stop teams using that tactic to slow the game - nothing worse than when you have a 7 tackle restart on the 20 and time is called off because a player has a cramp and then plays on

There are so many rules now we'll forget some exist - doubt many remember 20/40s are a thing as no one has attempted one

[The Lip]

Really don’t like that 2 point field goal - seems like a real novelty rule. Changes a bit the fabric of the game. The teams play a tight game one gets into a strong position late in the game to take a field goal through a strong set of six - executes well and goes a point in front - the other team gets the ball back with little time left can’t get closer than 40 because the other team defends well and they take a long range field goal attempt - nail it and as a result don’t level the scores but win the game - sounds shit to me that scenario.

[zac]

play the ball restart for being tackled over the sideline will speed the game up even more.

[Thirteen]

The field-goal rule is ridiculous. If a team is down by two points with a minute to go, they will be attempting to kick a field goal rather than score a try. Boring!

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Stop changing the rules.

[BenCumminsIsACheat]

I don't really understand why the NRL is so obsessed with making the game 'so much faster'.
Do they not realise that the 2 most popular sports in the world (NFL and Soccer) are also some of the longest and slowest. Having action all the time isn't a good thing, you need to have some highs and lows in the game otherwise its just a rushed and jumbled mess as was the case with a lot of the attack last season.
The changes they have made too hardly make the game 'faster' anyway, despite pretty much altering the fabric of the game and giving players no recovery. Last year the ball was in play for about 2 minutes longer and play the balls were sped up by 0.2 seconds which both in the grand scheme of things is next to nothing despite running the players dead for 80 minutes and increasing injuries.

It's clear the people at the top don't actually understand the game or the impacts of the rules they implement, as just about all of them recently have been followed up by further rule changes to stop exploitation.
The message should be that if they want to actually increase fans they should keep the game simple as it was, instead of introducing 10 new novelty rules a year which the referees don't even know how to implement and are likely to drive away those true fans who have watched for decades.

[bondi paul]

I suspect seasonal rule changes are part of the NRL’s contractual obligations with TV broadcasters.

[NorthChook]

They keep on trying to make the game more entertaining and faster because when they keep doing surveys of why fans walk away from the game they mostly say ‘game is too slow’ ‘too many stoppages’ ‘too predictable’ so they are trying to address that

[ccfc bondi]

I had to google this to make sure it wasn't a joke!

They reduced field goals to one point to stop players attempting them so often! If they want to introduce a crap rule like this, maybe do it before teams have recruited. Now teams with long distance field goal specialists have an advantage.

I've said it before and I'll say it again and no-one can convince me otherwise....the six again rule is a farce! They are handed out like lollies, arbitrarily, and usually against US!

Friggin' bunker after EVERY TRY....yeah, that'll speed up the game! (Though I agree that the game never needed speeding up. The players have enough problems keeping up with it as it is!)

V'LANDYS NEEDS TO LEAVE THE GAME'S RULES ALONE!

[NorthChook]

If only the rule existed a few years ago for poor old Gregy Inglis and his dyslexia

[Big Dog]

I think the 40m field goal will be redundant. I really can't see teams risking turning the ball over for two pints that far from the goal posts. As far as the other rules go, they're only as good as how the officials enforce them.

[Bansai Pipeline]

They’re good if you’re Latrell

[Headless Chook]

Just more rules for the refs to enforce when we are defending and for them to ignore when we are in possession

[Kramer]

Just fix the bloody scrums for God sake, no backs in the scrum only forward in their correct positions, that will do me. I'm over this 6 again shit it does nothing for the purist of the game.

[ism22]

Really don’t like that 2 point field goal - seems like a real novelty rule. Changes a bit the fabric of the game. The teams play a tight game one gets into a strong position late in the game to take a field goal through a strong set of six - executes well and goes a point in front - the other team gets the ball back with little time left can’t get closer than 40 because the other team defends well and they take a long range field goal attempt - nail it and as a result don’t level the scores but win the game - sounds shit to me that scenario.

Yep it sounds a bit like the 20:40... WHY? Sorta s*x we lost Latrell as I reckon he's one of the few players capable of nailing a 40m field goal.

The other rules? Either sound like they're already rules, or they're gonna result in more stoppages.

Can they just fukking leave the rules alone for once? We will cope but it must be a shyte trying to build consistency when you've just come bottom 4 and now there's all this uncertainty/change you've gotta deal with. IMO giving coaches some stability with regards to the rules could help the game to become more interesting coz there will be less BS creeping into the game.

I mean if your team just came bottom 4, the last thing you need is to start practicing 40m drop goals and milking penalties from 10m out. Also, why review EVERY fukking try? I mean are we gonna see refs call 'TRY' for what looks like a try for all money, then wait 10 minutes while the bunker decides 'no technically a pass went to the outside shoulder [I swear NOBODY understands that rule... NOBODY] so it's no try [although they had a massive overlap and it was a great try]'. I can picture them scrutinising certain teams more than others on such technicalities as well. Fark me!!!