NRL rule changes 2020: ARLC chairman Peter V’landys leads charge to innovate the game
People power has led to one of the biggest shake-ups of the NRL rules in recent seasons with new ARLC chairman Peter V’landys leading the charge in “innovating the game”.
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People power has led to one of the biggest shake-ups of the NRL rules in recent seasons with new ARLC chairman Peter V’landys leading the charge in “innovating the game”.
V’landys has wasted little time stamping his authority after taking on the top job with his push leading to the introduction of a challenge system next year.
The “captain’s challenge” was the most significant of the seven changes announced on Friday which also included the introduction of a 20/40 and the attacking team to decide where a scrum will be fed from three different points on the field.
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But it was the announcement of the introduction of the challenge system which caused the greatest debate.
V’landys told The Saturday Telegraph it was prompted off the back of an online fan survey.
However, clubs were only formally notified of the new rules via email at 10.50am and several were taken aback by the changes.
One chief executive said: “There is an air of concern and danger if the NRL is going down the path of making changes to the fabric of the game.”
Another club official added: “I have no idea why they thought these changes were needed or desirable.
“Most fans rank the ruck and wrestle as the biggest impediment to more attractive rugby league, not gimmick changes to kicking and scrum laws. As for the process, there is a more transparency in the selection of Popes than our competition committee.
“They run faux consultation processes to tick boxes while meddling in laws that don’t need changing to avoid the big debate on the laws that do.”
V’landys dismissed the criticism stating that the game needs to listen to the fans.
“We surveyed the fans and had 18,000 responses and this was the biggest one of the lot,” V’landys said. “A small (referee) error can make a dramatic change to the game. What you learn in racing is people hate getting ripped off. A fan hates getting ripped off. If your team gets beat fair and square you can walk away content.
“Everyone considers coaches, and former players but someone has to consider the fans and what they want.
“I spoke to a few players and coaches and they thought it was a great idea. One coach said I should expand it and introduce a coach’s challenge.
“I like the idea. I’m the one who put it forward. I believe in it. Even if it fails, you have to try things. If you don’t try things you become stagnate.
“All these rules came about because I challenged the competition committee to come up with innovations to make the game less predictable and make the game more entertaining.
“Anything that is innovative and makes the fan more into the game absolutely (I support). “You have to keep the fans happy.”
The commission has tasked the NRL’s management to formalise how the challenge system will work before it is introduced in time for next season.
It will only impact calls made in general play and not interfere with the current bunker system in reviewing try-scoring opportunities.
In another major rule change, attacking teams will have five seconds to choose if they want to feed a scrum on the nearest 10 metre line, the 20 metre line or in line with the black dot on the crossbar. The default position will be set on the regular 20-metre line.
Other changes include;
— The referee will be required to replay the previous play the ball in the event of play being irregularly affected such as the Roosters trainer being hit by the ball after a charge down in the grand final.
— The act of tackling a player in mid-air from either the kicking or non-kicking team will be banned.
— A trial conducted in second tier competitions requiring teams to pack six players in the scrum even when down to 12 on the field. As it stands they are able to pack with five. It will be assessed at the end of 2020 with the potential of an introduction in the NRL in 2021.
— Reduction of the time trainers spend on the field.
The 20/40 rule was trialled in Queensland Cup this year but used successfully just once and attempted a handful of times.