2026 Proposed NRL rule changes

Billy said:
Teams will spend a lot of time working on short kickoff options to get the ball back in attacking situations.

The Walker brothers got Ipwitch home against the Knights in a state champions game by using some crazy short kickoffs and a few other options that involved doing the unexpected.

They won't do it all the time, but when teams are desperate for points, they will have a trick play to try.
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Teams can do that now if they want. Just like they could’ve always done with short drop offs, instead, of just waiting the for the game to be over to start doing them. It never actually needed any rule changes.

Most teams are too scared to try do anything new though. Panthers and Storm are is usually the ones who’ll innovate and then the rest just try to follow
 
Short kickoffs can be done now. I can see the scoring side kicking off and always going long. It's a pretty rubbish rule to bring in. It's not really going to create any sort of momentum for teams.

The bigger squad is good but if cup plays same day it's going to be hard fielding a decent squad if you opt to have a half etc on the extended bench. As for people wanting less interchanges to give the "smaller" guys a chance, you just need to look at the amount of big guys that go around now who can do 60-80 minutes. Fatigue brings in head knocks. I'd rather see less of those.

Knock on in goal for a standard set is brilliant. Allows teams to actually want to compete for the ball in the air, in goal rather than dropping it short or taking a tackle.

Set restarts should just be scrapped, we seen refs just punch one for whatever and let the other team get away with the same infringement.
 
What happened to them trialling these things in the dead rubber games at the end of the season? Or in trials?

Would be happy to see the kick off thing play out in trials and see how it goes. It does seem unnecessary to change at this point.

It throws an interesting decision out there. If you concede a try and are now losing. Do you kick off and go short and risk it? Or do you receive and presumably get it back on your 10m and work it 90m?
I think it could be interesting - but again, something I’d like to see.

With the extended bench, I agree with some other comments that a player should be able to be used for Cat 1 HIAs. Or at least if there is 2. 3 seems very silly. Especially if the game is trying to make concussion not such a negative thing and urge players to take it seriously. Using it tactically would mean the player your rule out misses at least another game. So doubt teams would be taking advantage of that.
 
I do enjoy Abdos proposal for limiting the blue shirts time on the field. They will be allowed on the field if there's a stoppage in play for a line drop-out or if a try is scored.
I understand their purpose and they should be used to send messages from the coach but they have been allowed to have far to much time on the field for to long now.
 
Another thing that has taken way too long to implement

www.nrl.com

Anti-tampering rules

The National Rugby League (NRL) has advised Clubs and Accredited Player Agents of changes to the NRL Anti-Tampering Rules which will come into effect on February 1, 2026.
www.nrl.com www.nrl.com

Hopefully this expands into pointless media speculation about certain marquee players that border on ridiculous. For all we can assume Nick is just paying people at Foxsports to be his mouthpiece for it.
 
Kick off rule change might be one of the stupidest ideas I've heard.

However I think the proposed extended match day squads idea is a good one though.
 
Matty Johns speaking facts

If you don’t want to have minimal possession, defend well, teach your team to defend a set of six and you’ll get the ball back.

Thats it really

Amazed it took that long for someone to say it
 
I don’t see any problem with the new kick off option as it is what it is, an option.
If teams take it ok if not then game on as normal.
Be interesting to see stats during season on the option especially for each individual team and where they are in relation to ladder position.
Nothing might change.
 
Did anyone else see the article on the international rule changes? Nothing crazy, more like clarifying the wording. I wish I had linked it yesterday when I saw it.
 
Frank McWilliams said:
I don’t see any problem with the new kick off option as it is what it is, an option.
If teams take it ok if not then game on as normal.
Be interesting to see stats during season on the option especially for each individual team and where they are in relation to ladder position.
Nothing might change.
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I’ve been trying to think of a way this could be exploited.

All I could really come up with is if Team A is trailing, they score, and are behind by say 1 point with a minute left. As it is now, Team B kicks off - probably go long and try and defend well to keep them from a FG attempt. The alternative is to opt to receive the kick - which gives the trailing Team A a chance to get it back in FG territory. I guess the up side is they could get the ball and waste the minute with their snail like play the balls. But I think most teams would opt to kick long and defend well.

The opposite situation, Team A concedes a try and is now losing. They would usually kick off and go short to try and get the ball back. Would they opt to receive? And get the ball on their own 10m and work it 90 metres or into FG range.

Im not sure it impacts the game much. Which you could make an argument for (it doesn’t change too much) or against (why make the change).

I’d happily see how this unfolds in trials, dead rubbers or even internationals/club challenge.
 
The league have a hard on in changing things that don’t need to be changed, that’s what pisses people off, league was extremely successful before this administration and will be after.

We don’t need stupid gimmick rule changes like this.

I’m glad the coaches aren’t backing down and stating out right they don’t want it full stop
 
Anybody know if the proposed rule changes have been agreed upon? Saw something about the 6 player bench on a team selection article but I wasn’t aware that any of the changes had been implemented yet.
 
The kickoff option is ridiculous. Having a think about it if it has to be implemented the team that has conceded the try should only be given 3 tackles. It would make teams really question if they should elect to recieve, they run the risk of having to kick from inside their 20 and gifting field possesion to the scoring team in the set after, makes it more risk/reward call. The way its currently proposed i cant see a situation where any team elects to kickoff after conceding.
 
I think when teams concede late in games they’ll probably kick off when they’re winning. Especially the good sides, I think they’d back kicking it and making a team work out from their own end then inviting a short kick off. I don’t love the rule but I don’t think it’ll make that much of a difference.
 
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