Colman’s Call: New NRL rules will put more pressure on referees

Not sure about rugby league’s new rules? Don’t worry, the NRL hasn’t got a clue either despite weeks of consultation, think-tanks and discussion, writes MIKE COLMAN.

So, is everyone clear on the new rugby league rules?

No?

Don’t feel too bad. The NRL hasn’t got a clue either. They’re making some of them up as they go along.

Like the amount of time trainers will now be allowed on the field – or, as it has already become known, “The Alfie Langer Rule.”

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Brisbane trainer Allan Langer takes the bottle up for the Broncos. Picture: Brett Costello

After weeks of consultation, think-tanks and discussion the most the NRL can tell us on that one is: “leave it with us. We’ll get back to you in February.”

The same with the new challenge system, which strikes me as one of the biggest changes to the fabric of the game since the introduction of limited tackles.

How will it work, I hear you ask?

Sit tight, they’ll get back to us. In February.

Personally I’m hoping that the only time a trainer is allowed on the field is when he or she is genuinely needed to aid an injured player. Failing that, stop describing them as trainers and call them what they are, on-field coaches, or message deliverers.

Briton Nikora runs into a West Tigers trainer. Picture: Brett Costello

Better still, ban them from going on the field at all and bring back the old St John Ambulance “zambucks”.

As for the challenge system, as I understand it, each team will be allowed one challenge. Get it right they keep it, get it wrong they lose it.

So what will they be able to challenge? Well, not tries, because the Bunker does that (and we all know how well that’s worked out), not forward passes, and not “non-decisions” like say a ref missing a knock-on.

It’s only if a team disputes a decision. For instance if a ref says a player knocked on and the player says he didn’t, we can all go and make a cup of coffee while it is replayed from every possible angle.

Roosters captain Boyd Cordner watches on as referee Ben Cummins sends Cooper Cronk to the sin bin in the 2019 Grand Final. Under the new rule Cordner could challenge the decision. Picture: Dan Mimbrechts/AAP

Todd Greenberg has said this is to make the game easier to officiate, which I guess is CEO-speak for “a way to heap more pressure on referees”.

The other rule changes that will be brought into effect for the 2020 season are less vague. Sort of.

The new 20/40 rule will be exactly the same as the current 40/20 rule, only the exact opposite, and the act of tackling a player in the air will be banned regardless of whether the player doing the tackling is attacking or defending. (I thought that would have been a rule already, but obviously not).

Then we come to the scrum and the team with the loose head and feed having five seconds to decide where it is set: 10 metres in from touch, 20 metres in, or in line with the black dot on the crossbar.

I have two issues about this.

One, do they really think a rugby league footballer can make a considered decision in five seconds?

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

And two, why do they persist in talking about the loose head? Nobody puts the ball into the front row. They don’t even get the hookers to pack down there anymore.

Another new rule pertains to what to do in the event of what they call a “mutual infringement”, such as the ball hitting the Roosters’ trainer in the head during the last grand final.

Again, at the risk of being picky, I can’t see what was “mutual” about it. The Roosters player tried to get a kick away, the Canberra player charged it down quite legally. The trainer got in the way and the Raiders were denied the chance to regather and score.

Under the rules at the time a scrum was packed and fed by the team which had the territorial advantage – in that case the Roosters.

Under the new rule the referee will now replay the previous play-the-ball. In other words, in that scenario the Roosters would still be advantaged despite the Raiders being the team whose good play had forced the error.

Manly players celebrate a Golden Point win over the Storm this season. The NRL has resisted calls for a more equitable solution to a tied result at full-time. Picture: Hamish Blair/AAP

Maybe the NRL should give that one a little more thought too - and while they’re at it, maybe they could come up with a more equitable way to allocate the points after a tie at full-time, such as one each and another “Golden point” for the next to score?

Come on guys, how about we leave it with you and you can get back to us.

In February.