By Dan Walsh
The NRL has moved to reduce bunker intervention to ensure fewer needless stoppages during games and reduced the threshold of failed HIAs to trigger the 18th man substitute in 2023.
A review of last season and consultation with clubs and the RLPA has led to a raft of interpretation changes being announced on Thursday, taking in concussion protocols, captain’s challenges, grounding of the ball for tries and offside rulings.
The ARL Commission titled its announcement “no new rules for 2023 season”, instead tweaking existing laws which it says “have led to a faster, more free-flowing and unpredictable game.”
The always-contentious video referee will now “only intervene for acts of foul play which it deems to be reportable”, an NRL statement read.
A team’s 18th interchange player will also now be able to be used if two teammates are ruled out of a game by failed Head Injury Assessments, rather than the three that has been the norm since 2021.
Players and coaches, most notably the RLPA and Australian captain James Tedesco in the Roosters’ season-ending finals loss last season, have led calls for an easing of the 18th-man protocols after instances where multiple concussions left teams with one or no replacement players.
Pre-season ruck drills will now have to be tweaked to reflect the NRL’s new officiating of tackles.Credit: Getty
The captain’s challenge has also been amended slightly following the calamitous Wests Tigers-Cowboys golden point game last year which cost the wooden-spooners two competition points and had the club considering legal action.
The NRL defended the match-turning Cowboys challenge at the time on the basis they were technically calling for the review of the actual stoppage, and that the referee had not blown his whistle to indicate actual full-time.
The NRL’s new interpretation spells out that a challenge can be made “following the final play in each half, provided the referee has not already called half or full-time.
“A challenge may be initiated after the referee blows his whistle to stop play, rather than only after a decision resulting in a structured restart.”
As for try-scoring situations, instances where the ball “rotates from the hand to the wrist or forearm” will see a try awarded as long as the player does not lose contact with the ball.
Refereeing calls regarding ruck speed and completed tackles will be condensed to limit defenders from slowing down the play-the-ball, with the previous calls of “held” and “release” now combined into one call, after which a tackler must make a clear effort to leave the ruck.
Scrum protocols will also come under greater scrutiny from officials, with offside defenders now punished with a full penalty rather than a set restart.
By the same token, any team deemed to be deliberately leaving the ball locked at the back of a scrum to catch defenders out can also be penalised.
“While relatively minor, these changes will improve three elements of the game – player safety, the game presentation for fans and offside compliance,” NRL elite football manager Graham Annesley said.
“We undertook a thorough review of the 2022 season, including consultation with the NRL clubs, the RLPA and other stakeholders.
“The overriding feedback was the current interpretations are creating a faster and more free-flowing game, but there was a need to address some minor issues which have emerged.
“These changes will allow clubs and players clarity on certain issues while also giving fans more entertainment and transparency as the game evolves in 2023.”
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