Rule Changes for 2008

U23

U23

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
'No grapple tackle' for NRL in 2008
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 - 3:45 PM

The 2008 NRL premiership will include fewer interchanges per game and the grapple tackle stripped from players' repertoire among experimental rule amendments and changes to referee interpretations for next season.

There will be two experimental rule amendments and changes to referee's interpretation in six key areas, the National Rugby League announced.

The two experimental rule amendments approved are reducing the number of interchanges, use of replacement players, from 12 to 10 a match and ball stripping permitted if the ball carrier is in the act of trying to ground the ball for a try.

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) gave approval on Christmas Eve for the experimental law amendments after a review where coaches, players, referees, club officials and the boards of the NRL and ARL were consulted.

Interpretation changes within the NRL premiership do not need RLIF consent.

The six interpretation changes include scrapping the grapple/wrestle tackle from the game.

Any prolonged contact with the head or neck will be penalised and more serious cases will involve a visit to the judiciary.

In tackles known as The Crusher where a player uses his body weight to bend and exert pressure on another players head/neck, the judiciary will treat them very seriously and they'll be graded accordingly.

Props will have to bind tighter on the feeding side at scrums with their outside leg forward so the half-back puts the ball into the tunnel, which should minimise forwards leaving the scrum early and play breaking down at the scrum base.

Referees can allow quick 20 metre restarts once officials are in position regardless of whether defence is ready or not.

Also referees can ask the video referee to check on ball stripping if unsure, which depends on the NRL reaching agreement with broadcasters so games are not delayed.

Kickers will have more protection with the tackler or tacklers not to contact the punter dangerously.

Goal-line restarts will have a standard time where the referee can warn teams once and then give a penalty kick 10 metres out if the warning is ignored.

The video referee will monitor the time and notify the referee.

And referees are to be more vigilant on players trying to gain head start on 10 metres at ruck.
Click to expand...
 
I love all those, except this one:

Also referees can ask the video referee to check on ball stripping if unsure, which depends on the NRL reaching agreement with broadcasters so games are not delayed.
Click to expand...

Which will just delay the match and they are impossible to tell either way half the time anyway! This one, however:

Referees can allow quick 20 metre restarts once officials are in position regardless of whether defence is ready or not.
Click to expand...

is a great change ... back to how it used to be! It was really exciting when a side took a quick 20 metre tap, and sped up the match. Pommieknight can confirm, but I think it has stayed that way in the UK, and never changed to the controlled restarts we have in the NRL.

Usually for these trial rules changes they have in the trials they come up with wacky stuff that is never a chance of becoming a proper part of the game, but these are all well-though out improvements, so yay!
 
Yeh I like that second rule too. That's the way it should be.

And also, why don't they just stop the clock for conversions?
 
They will never be able to fully get rid of the the grapple look at the last few years when they tried. And the quick restatrt is a great chnage, i can't believe they ever changed it,
 
den said:
Yeh I like that second rule too. That's the way it should be.

And also, why don't they just stop the clock for conversions?
Click to expand...

Interesting point...maby it might drag the game too long, with people taking forever to make a conversion?

I like the second change that James mentioned aswell.

Cowboys will rip it up with the new changes:

NOT since those old spaghetti westerns have a group of Cowboys suddenly looked more dangerous.

North Queensland's 2008 premiership hopes received a strong boost yesterday when the NRL finally ratified a decision to reduce the number of interchanges from 12 to 10 next season.

Because when it comes to feasting on tired legs, no oneis more ferocious than those gunslingers from Townsville. Like a Great White in the Bondi surf on New Year's Day.

"Oh, we're certainly happy with the new rule,'' Cowboys coach Graham Murray conceded last night. "In the past clubs have probably come to Townsville wishing they had two more interchanges, not two less.

"And while this doesn't guarantee us success, we obviously believe we've got a number of players who can create something when the defences are tired.''

Players such as Dally M hero Johnathan Thurston, fullback Matt Bowen, hooker Aaron Payne, import Travis Burns and utility Sione Faumuina.

The move will also aid fellow superstars such as Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer, Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk and 77kg Gold Coast lightweight Preston Campbell.

The NRL also confirmed yesterday that ball stripping will be permitted in 2008 if the carrier is attempting to ground the Steeden for a try.

Other "interpretation changes'' include penalties for time wasting on dropouts and quick 20m restarts being allowed regardless of whether the defence is ready.

There will also be further crackdowns on the grapple tackle and more support for kickers in general play. The onus will be on the tackler to avoid dangerous contact with the kicker.
Click to expand...
 
den said:
Yeh I like that second rule too. That's the way it should be.

And also, why don't they just stop the clock for conversions?
Click to expand...

They did that for Superleague in 1997 and it was a dismal failure, games took up to two hours and ran overtime for tv.

Another thing I didn't mention is ideally the interchanges would reduce to 6, but 10 is a step in the right direction.
 
Stopping the clock would suck, like james said a total disarster, kickers would take forever. I also think that six interchanges is a bit to few for a four man bench, i think ten will be ok, but we will see how it goes
 
Ok, why not stop the clock, but have the official timer or whatever start a seperate clock, where the kicker has to kick within a minute or something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top