‘Turning game into a circus’: NRL’s mooted rule change to stop six-again farce blasted

The Daily Telegraph reported the NRL will explore the option for teams having to play out their set of six even if the game clock has expired.

That would mean teams would be allowed to play out their set of six even beyond the 80 minute mark and potentially before halftime as well to avoid negative tactics from defensive teams.

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The rule change would mean the half or match will end after the last tackle of the set or if the attacking team gives away possession.

The potential change to the laws is aimed at stopping defending teams from intentionally giving away set restarts to run the clock down in the dying stages of halves and games.

Most notably this season Ben Hunt committed a professional foul in the Dragons clash with the Raiders by tackling the dummyhalf when he was not square to bring about the end of the game, despite not being penalised.

Also in Origin I, Queensland held Isaah Yeo down on the final play of the game to clinch a 16-10 win, knowing that a six-again or even a penalty goal would not have been enough for the Blues to beat them.

The NRL’s rule committee will explore the potential rule change in the off-season ahead of 2023.

However, Paul Kent fired up on NRL 360 believing that it is just another rule change that is not needed if the referees just make the right decision.

“I hate it,” Kent said.

“This is what happens in rugby league so often is someone will make a mistake like the referees the other night, which we have all conceded and the NRL conceded.

“And rather than say, mate just get it right next time, we come up with a rule to try and use as a safety net against it and we have no idea where the bubble in the carpet is going to pop up next.

“And it happens all the time. We saw that with the six-again rule. Suddenly teams worked out it is actually advantageous to concede six-agains.

“We are going down this track where we just keep bastardising the rules where we don’t know where we are going to end up and we are turning the sport into a circus.”

Paul Crawley believes rather than change the fabric of the rules, just get the referees to enforce the existing rules properly.

“Just blow the bloody penalty,” Crawley said.

“Seriously, if the referee in the Ben Hunt situation blows the penalty and sin-bins Ben Hunt like he should have, problem solved.

“But you can’t go changing the rules where you get an extra two plays at the end of an Origin when Isaah Yeo is tackled two metres before the line.

“You can’t extend the game so the Blues win.”

Originally published as ‘Turning game into a circus’: NRL’s mooted rule change to stop six-again farce blasted