2024 NRL General Discussion Thread

[Battler]

I don't think removing set restarts will necessarily make for a better product. You're still relying on the same systems and it's clear that the game is far too overwhelming to be officiated to everyone's liking.

The key with the set restart is that it keeps the ball in play which essentially means more action which is an easy sell for fans.

The only real down-side is player fatigue and the role that plays in injuries and foul play. However the NRL seems to have their heads in the sand over it and believe that harsher penalties will act as a deterrent.

I don't think it's actually gotten rid of the wrestle. The smart teams have adapted and have modified their tackle technique and will deliberately give away a tackle 1-2 set restart to reset the line.

The ruck is as bad as ever but it's just going to take better judgement than a complete rule change. For instance, players being forced to play it on the mark and not being able to knee players in the head would be a nice start.

We have a comp where the referees get praised for not officiating the game and get savaged when they do.

 

[Foordy]

Brian Smith has reportedly "secretly" entered the race to replace Brad Arthur as the Eels coach. he has held "lengthy" meetings with Parramatta management

 

[BroncsFan]

Brian Smith has reportedly "secretly" entered the race to replace Brad Arthur as the Eels coach. he has held "lengthy" meetings with Parramatta management

That sounds like a terrible idea... has he even been coaching recently??

It would be like tigers going back to the Sheenius...

Have the 'talks' maybe been to come back as a head of football or something rather than coach??

 

[Harry Sack]

Brian Smith has reportedly "secretly" entered the race to replace Brad Arthur as the Eels coach. he has held "lengthy" meetings with Parramatta management

Has he even been involved in the game at all since his last stint? Also, what is he...like 80?

 

[Fozz]

That sounds like a terrible idea... has he even been coaching recently??

It would be like tigers going back to the Sheenius...

Have the 'talks' maybe been to come back as a head of football or something rather than coach??

I had to look it up. He's quit or been sacked from every job at club level since that stint at Parra. Last coached an ESL club nearly 10 years ago. Some mickey mouse international jobs since.

 

[Fozz]

Has he even been involved in the game at all since his last stint? Also, what is he...like 80?

70, you ageist prick.

 

[BroncsFan]

70, you ageist prick.

He's still young enough to get two terms as US president ... basically still living off potential!!

 

[Bucking Beads]

Moses has carried on pretty poorly the last few games. Needs to be better as a leader.

 

[Super Freak]

I would love to see Brian Smith back coaching in the NRL. I liked the style of play his teams played and I think he could do well with this Eels squad.

He's come up as a left field contender for the Eels job.

 

[McHunt]

I don't think removing set restarts will necessarily make for a better product. You're still relying on the same systems and it's clear that the game is far too overwhelming to be officiated to everyone's liking.

The key with the set restart is that it keeps the ball in play which essentially means more action which is an easy sell for fans.

The only real down-side is player fatigue and the role that plays in injuries and foul play. However the NRL seems to have their heads in the sand over it and believe that harsher penalties will act as a deterrent.

I don't think it's actually gotten rid of the wrestle. The smart teams have adapted and have modified their tackle technique and will deliberately give away a tackle 1-2 set restart to reset the line.

The ruck is as bad as ever but it's just going to take better judgement than a complete rule change. For instance, players being forced to play it on the mark and not being able to knee players in the head would be a nice start.

I like the concept of 6 again, a lot. It amply penalizes shitty behavior that's sometimes deliberately coached, without having to fart around stopping the game. In theory, great.

From what I can gather the objection to set restarts is the perception of inconsistency, and I think sometimes this is real, rather than just the usual insufferable bedwetters making up excuses for why their team lost.

A lot of this inconsistency could be solved by a square leg umpire whose remit is to police offside, forward passes and fouls behind the play, stuff the refs apparently miss. This is supposed to be the job of the touchies, but for some reason they're not enough to satisfy fans. The square leg umpire would work in conjunction with the touchies.

I know we've been here before but this is the answer. The bunker only gets in the way on these calls. Camera angles are notoriously deceptive.

 

[Culhwch]

Let the broadcast networks bring in the technology that places a visual onside line based on the position of the tackled player and see how quickly offsides tighten up. Initially there will be a push back on the refs not policing it, so they will get stricter, and then the players will learn that they can't get away with it any more. If you are looking for a faster, more open game, with less of the fatigue (and hopefully by extension injuries) that leads to cripplingly one-sided momentum, then having a well-reffed ten metres would be a great start.

 

[Waynesaurus]

Let the broadcast networks bring in the technology that places a visual onside line based on the position of the tackled player and see how quickly offsides tighten up.

Half the referees cant even set a consistent 10m tho, it could be anywhere from 8m to 14m, the visual line would just highlight this, the NRL don't want to give the fans more ammunition to shoot down the officiating.

 

[Foordy]

Let the broadcast networks bring in the technology that places a visual onside line based on the position of the tackled player and see how quickly offsides tighten up. Initially there will be a push back on the refs not policing it, so they will get stricter, and then the players will learn that they can't get away with it any more. If you are looking for a faster, more open game, with less of the fatigue (and hopefully by extension injuries) that leads to cripplingly one-sided momentum, then having a well-reffed ten metres would be a great start.

This was going to happen two years ago ... But then was quietly scrapped

 

[McHunt]

Half the referees cant even set a consistent 10m tho, it could be anywhere from 8m to 14m, the visual line would just highlight this, the NRL don't want to give the fans more ammunition to shoot down the officiating.

You have to accept human error is part of the game. Being onside needn't be a forensic measurement. It just has to look like the opposition isn't taking the piss. Forward passes fall into the same category, particularly long balls passed by a running player that include momentum and thus travel forward naturally. I don't think there's much gained in getting anal over those.

I'm not even sure the forensic analysis of put-downs are worth the bother in the long run. They detract from the excitement, and usually by the end of the game both sides have been denied marginal tries.

Fans will always whinge about the refs no matter what decisions they make.

 

[Galah]

Just bring back a second ref, the 10 was far more consistent then but nooooooo another one of that dickhead v’landys ideas that came in that made no sense.

 

[BroncosFever]

Someone on here the other day spoke about sports psychologists, this is where they'd be used. To accept a decision and get on with it, I feel like under Kev we've done pretty well in that space and we've copped our fair share of bad calls.

 

[Culhwch]

Half the referees cant even set a consistent 10m tho, it could be anywhere from 8m to 14m, the visual line would just highlight this, the NRL don't want to give the fans more ammunition to shoot down the officiating.

Accountability is the point of the exercise. If there is no accountability, nothing changes.

But I tend to agree that the NRL would rather not venture down that path.

 

[Bish]

Why not change it from 6 again to 2 extra tackles? Wouldn’t overly fatigue the defending team but still gives the attacking team an advantage.

Constantly defending sets when 6 agains are awarded on the 5th tackle is not helping. Don’t know exactly what the figures are but I reckon we concede a lot on 4/5 tackle and get awarded them on 1/2