NRL Magic Round: Players speak out over fears playmakers have become protected species

NRL players have spoken out about fears playmakers have become a “protected species” in a desperate bid to avoid another Magic Round marred by a rules crackdown.

Nicho Hynes is tackled by Coen Hess.

The NRL have been warned to resist becoming like the NFL and making playmakers “protected species” amid fears that the game has gone too far by penalising almost all contact with kickers.

The game’s leading players have expressed their increasing concern over the latest crackdown with an urgent plea to avoid another Magic Round ruined by heavy-handed match officials – as was the case in 2021.

Storm captain Christian Welch and representative Sharks forwards Dale Finucane and Wade Graham said the NRL were on delicate footing by penalising players for making contact with kickers.

NRL players have raised fears about playmakers becoming a protected species.

“I’ve seen comments questioning whether our game will get to the point of the NFL where you’re not allowed to touch them (playmakers) at all,’’ Graham said.

“They need to be really careful with how far they want to push it.

“Because if you push it too far and give all the advantage to the attacker, you’re then giving the defence no contest, which is exactly what the game is. A contest.

“It’s a big adjustment for players.

“We should be using Magic Round as an occasion for the players to play their best footy and for the fans to have the best spectacle.

“I don’t think you want the fans being introduced to all these new interpretations on that weekend.

“We saw a Magic Round (2021) when we had the high tackle crackdown and no one was talking about the footy after that weekend.

“Everyone was talking about the crackdown and the refereeing.

“The refs have a job to do, I just hope it’s consistent with what we’ve done so far this season.’’

Damien Cook closes in on Nathan Cleary as he launches a kick.

Penrith’s Nathan Cleary, Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes, Roosters pivot Luke Keary and the Titans Tanah Boyd have all received penalties in recent weeks for being tackled while kicking.

Each penalty raised the ire and confusion from players and fans.

“I get that anything really late is unacceptable,’’ Welch said.

“Those cheap shots should get them out of the game. But if you want to give Nathan Cleary half an hour to kick a ball, he is going to put you half a metre out from your tryline in the corner and you will lose that game.

“Same as Shaun Johnson. Our game is built on pressure.

“There are actions of pressure where you need to put pressure on guys like Nicho Hynes or Shaun Johnson because they are so lethal.

“They need to be under pressure to make a play. If you get up and you are passive, they will beat you every time.

“At the moment we have gone way too far. I am all for protecting them if it is late.

“But at the moment where it is pretty close to simultaneous, I think it has gone too far.”

Coen Hess is sent to the bin.

David Nofoaluma tries to knock Nathan Cleary off balance.

Finucane echoed Graham’s Magic Round plea and added that defending players were being assessed on how “aggressive” the kick-pressure looked.

“You can still put pressure on, but I just feel like now, it’s really going to be about how it looks,’’ Finucane said.

“It‘s whether you’ve hit someone and taken them to the ground, as opposed to grabbing and holding someone to the ground.

“You can’t be penalised for that.

“I really hope we don’t see what we saw a few years ago with pressure on kickers and a case of, let’s use Magic Round to make a point that this is the rule that we’re enforcing.

“I hope that doesn’t happen.’’

It is understood two captains were told by a referee at the coin toss ahead of one recent clash that any contact with the kicker would result in a penalty.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley said there are four risk factors the match officials are looking for when it comes to contact with the kicker.

They are; lateness, high contact, danger of the contact, player being put in a vulnerable position.

“There’s been a view expressed that the NRL and the referees have gone overboard in the protection of kickers,” Annesley said.

“This goes right back to a directive from the Commission in July 2021.

“When a player is off the ground and (then) put on the ground when being vulnerable everyone loses control of the outcome. You can apply kick pressure without the risk of injury.”

Sean Keppie was penalised last round.

Annesley backed the penalties blown against Hess and Manly’s Sean Keppie last round.

On the Hess tackle on Hynes, Annesley said to “think of the four risk factors”.

“It’s not high but have a look at the risk of injury and vulnerability.” Annesley said.

“Hynes has both feet off the ground. It’s not a high tackle, he is off balance and lands heavily on the ground. No serious injury but that’s one of the factors.

“There’s not a lot in the (Keppie push on Tanah Boyd) but is it necessary?

“He is a foot off the ground at this point where the push takes place. He lands on one leg, off balance. He falls to the ground and there is whiplash.”

Originally published as NRL Magic Round: Players speak out over fears playmakers have become protected species