From play-the-ball to the video ref: five aspects of the NRL that really drive the fans nuts

THEY’RE the moments that have you screaming at the TV. The aspects of the game you love that make your blood boil. Check out our list of the NRL’s most enraging things.

THEY’RE the moments that have you screaming at the TV. The aspects of the game you love that make your blood boil. Check out our list of the NRL most enraging things.

1. PLAY-THE-BALL

Sometimes resembles tunnel ball, where players raise their leg and roll the ball through without attempting to touch it. Players will try anything to speed up the play, either not standing straight when they get to their feet, or putting the ball on the ground and using it to get vertical quicker.

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How hard is it to get it right?

2. KICK BLOCKERS

Is there anything more frustrating than watching defenders who change their lines and run kick-chasers off the ball to protect their fullback when they’re attempting to take a bomb?

3. RUCK INFRINGEMENTS

Where do we start? In attack it’s players walking off the mark, or in defence seeing split markers who are not square, or crowding the ruck and wrestling when the tackle has long since been completed.

All those screens and they still can’t get it right. (NRL Photos.)

4. VIDEO REFEREE

Fans’ frustration is borne out of decisions that seem to go against common sense, take an age to reach, or are sent upstairs when the decision seems clear cut. The $2 million bunker was hailed as a game-changer two seasons ago, then had its powers restricted last year. This year is anyone’s guess.

5. SEVEN-TACKLE SETS

This was brought in to deter teams from kicking the ball dead touch in goal as a ploy to set their defence for a six-tackle set from a 20m restart. While that should be applauded, teams who are disadvantaged when an attacking kick goes fractionally dead is a bug bear.

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Originally published as From play-the-ball to the video ref: five aspects of the NRL that really drive the fans nuts