By AAP
November 25th 2009 @ 2:26am
View The Roar's top rugby league writers.
NRL Tipping now live on The Roar. Join now.
Love new art, fashion, music? Check out Aussie site which unearths all things cool and creative.
Join Australia’s community for solo & micro business at FlyingSolo.com.au
Related coverage
Double try option has NRL future, says Bennett
NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett believes the “double try” could be a part of rugby league within five years. The NRL and Indigenous All Stars will be able to opt for an extra tackle, rather than a conversion, following a try in an attempt to score four extra points when they clash on the [...]
This article is over 2000 days old and has been trimmed.
Get Australia's best NRL opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(134)
Mick from Giralang said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:15am | Report comment
Does anyone know the details of how the double try will work? A tap restart on the opponent’s 20 metre line? If it’s simply an extra tackle I can see the bomb going up 99.9 percent of the time. One tackle is pretty straight forward to defend against if the attackers opt to keep the ball in hand.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
From either the 10 or 20, not sure myself. Yes the Bomb might go up everytime, which would be good, introduce some assie rules into the game? Why i mention this is because of unlimited interchange, and defence , offence attackers. Also we can start poaching aussie rules players for our game.
This is the Americanisation of the game so that we can sell the product easy to the Yanks. Wearing Mic’s and the only idea i dont like is the 4 quarters, i did bring up the 3×30 minute times which i think would be better suited to rugby league.
This is getting good, we are advancing into a new era very quickly, and rugby league needs to go this path if we are going to be competitive on a bigger stage. This is one good thing about rugby league being strong in OZ, we can make these changes relatively easily if we wish,. Cheers.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I like the rule, imagine a team down by 8 with 20 seconds to go..they can still win it.
The 4 quarters is only because of the heat that will be in Feb..I like the 3 x30mins idea though.
Jay said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment
I think the 4 quarters should be introduced by the NRL to increase tv revenue. The IPL have come up with a strategy session of 10 minutes every 10 over in order to fit in more ads.. but going forward, if the tv networks are willing to pay significatnly more, we should change to 4 quarters and to compensate, change interchanges to a max of 6 per game.
prowling panther said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment
yeah but it ticks people off. games like t20 and league must run at continous an fast pace for max satisfaction
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:56am | Report comment
4 quarters of 20 mins wouldnt be good for RL, the game would lose alot of flow, 30 mins (if we ever change) would be way Id go..
have the first break of 5 mins on the field and 2/3 break in the sheds
Jay said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:06am | Report comment
I agree it wouldnt fit in with the flow of league, but if the tv networks say we will pay $Xm more per year if that is the case.. and it is a significant amount, it seriously should be considered.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Would have to be trailed in the under 20’s to see how it affects the game. Maybe vote among the fans.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:21am | Report comment
3×30 minutes with 2 ten minute breaks, so 1 team might win the 1st 30, the other team might win the 2nd 30 and we have a ripper third 30 minutes to keep you salavating. Or if 1 team wins the 1st two 30’s then a comeback of mega proportions would be needed.
Either way, its a better idea to increase the games revenues, a extra 10 minutes for adds and you would always be hoping that your team can come back in the last 30.
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Didn’t the old mid-week (Amco) Cup go for four quarters? That was purely for TV, but it was never deemed successful enough to transfer to the main comp.
John Ryan said | November 25th 2009 @ 5:32pm | Report comment
Yes it did it was quite interesting the old Amco cup,why not increase the time on the field from 80 to 90 plus time on.
The 3 by 30 would work better I think they should increase the length of the game
Dave1 said | November 26th 2009 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
The good thing about league, is that if even if a particular game is boring, its still over in 80 minutes.
They shouldn’t increases the time of the game.
AC said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:46am | Report comment
The problem you then have is making the game too similar to American Football, and the yank fans might ask why they’d bother watching the game instead of their own? Of course the flip side of this is that there are plenty of fans who like Union and League and they’re still pretty close to each other.
Hats off to the administrators for trying to inovate though. Not sure I’m a fan of interchanging defensive and attacking players though. That’s a slipery slope… 2 platoon League? Not for me thanks…
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Well to be a world class operation, like any company, you have to learn from the best. The yanks are already conditioned to this type of game( NFL) , so borrowing ideas from a world class orginisation, also(commission) is the way forward to becoming a world class orginisation yourself.
I myself, can already see that this is going to work, many fans have mooted the idea, we are now going to see if it works. 4 refs, great, Microphones, beauty, 4 quarters? Heat factor, but i like the idea of 3 periods, double try, great, the yanks will pick this up easily, and offence defence, they already know about this, the speed of the game? Yanks would be salvating at this, they already love the way it moves so fast compared to gridiron. So we will have all the ingreiants to market a world class product. Game on, and also put the shoe on the other foot to AFL stealing our players.
More Bombs please. Many more. Fly Isreal fly. Now thats spectacular.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
I watch the NFL and I love the coaches challenge, that is something we need in RL. 2 per half and captain/coach nominate when they want to use it.
Its worked wonders for Tennis
Dogs Of War said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
Kicking is banned on this tackle. So it will be a throw the ball around type situation. Would be good if they started on the 20, while the opposition started on there goal line. This would allow enough space for set moves etc.
I like the idea, though it’s uses would be limited, usually when a team has a kick that would put them ahead by 16, but would rather try for 18 ahead, or a team is down by 16 or 8, and time is running out.
I do like the concept as it provides another bit of excitement to the game.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Well that put a downer on the Bomb idea. I would rather see the Bomb go up. Hope they look at this idea. It would introduce some amazing leaps for the ball. Imagine that on the highlights package, Israel flying high , remember origin.
mitzter said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Yeah i saw the no kicking bit in the article but why?? No one would go for it if you couldn’t kick(well maybe if the try was scores right in the edge of the goal line but that would be it.
Siva Samoa said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
you are getting more and more redicilous with every post you make. Don’t worry about the other countries and let Bennett decide what’s best for rugby league.
Bulldog said | November 26th 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
The problem with 3 x 30 minutes or 4 x 20 minutes rather than 2 halfs of 40 minutes is there is a chance you will get less tries or break outs as the defence is less fatigued. The good thing about the current format is that late in the half a team with greater fitness gets an advantage.
The Link said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:47am | Report comment
A great innovation. I’d put Rugby League with Cricket in Australia as having a good recent track record with trialling new rules to improve the game.
Mick – it should really be two tackles to give the attacking team every chance. Although I agree it threatens to be a bomb fest.
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Maybe instead of interchanging players, take at least a couple off the field for each team. This might encourage keeping the ball in hand with more space on the field and various speed/size mis-matches likely.
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
Ummm… Does anyone watch American Football here. If not this idea is the exact copy of their conversion option. Right down to the switching of player’s specifically for the move. Instead of kicking for the single point they can perform an offensive ‘drive’ to convert their ‘touchdown’ by 2 points. Basically the same idea, different game and higher reward but identical nonetheless.
Mick from Giralang said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:14am | Report comment
So they only get two points if they score a touch down fromthe extra play?
mitzter said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:26pm | Report comment
yep, one point conversion for the kick conversion bringing the score to 7 points or the 2nd touchdown conversion for 2 points maiking the score 8 points
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Yeah, still erry resemblence. Considering now the NRL also has as many match officials as the NFL per game.
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:24am | Report comment
It’s a similar idea. So?
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
MyGen
No, it’s not similar its exactly the same in every aspect except the points scored.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
your point being?
The Link said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Its a great idea, of course its the same as the NFL conversion. I don’t think anyone can suggest otherwise.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
yeh I like it, another element to scoring a try
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
As M1tch says, I’m trying to get at your point. We shouldn’t do things because other sports do them? Like conversions, penalty goals, field goals? American Football is still a game derived from rugby, and maybe we should consider the possibility that they’ve had a good idea or two over the years. None of the rugby-derived codes has stood still in the last hundred years.
This is an exhibition game, and we are supposedly the land of giving things a go, so why not give it a go? If it works, we’ll claim it as our own idea; if it doesn’t, it’s the Yanks’ fault!
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:47am | Report comment
I think the whole point of the operation is to find out if the American way of doing things works in OZ. Everytime i see a NFL game their is 100thousand at matches, and also colledge games. So to have a simalar setup as the NFL have, would make the game a easier product to sell. Not only that, i think behind the scenes this might have been asked to happen by the Network over their.
Anyhow, its a great idea, the game still will be fast and we wont have to listen to NoNoNoNoNo anymore, we will be listening to coaches and refs and players reports. Love it. Should have happened 5 years ago.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
the NFL has an average crowd of 67000 because thay have 15 times the population we do. The Nrl or Afl will never have 67000 average with a population of 20 million. The double try is just another gimmick to increase the entertainment value, which we don’t really need, like Twenty20 cricket. Video ref microphones are good, though.
prowling panther said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
anyone for introduction of the lineout when the ball goes into touch? i think it could be interesting
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
hmmm…no
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:12am | Report comment
I also think the fact the ball does not always go straight and causes a scrum anyhow is time wasting, so yes maybe no. Anyhow, my mind is open to ideas.
Dan said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
I like the idea of lineouts. League got rid of them when they were still a bit of a lottery, but now they’re far less so and would be better than the constant no-contest scums…
Dave1 said | November 26th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
Line outs are one of the worst things in Union. League doesn’t need them and Union should get rid of them.
Dan said | November 27th 2009 @ 10:56pm | Report comment
Why are they bad exactly? They’re certainly better than simply having a scrum for everything (especially a non-contested scrum). You could even make the line-outs more “league-like” by allowing the hooker to throw the ball almost directly to his man… wouldn’t be much different to the feeding of the ball into the second row that they do in scrums now.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Prowling panther, not bad, why not, if union wont become like league, lets steal some of their plays to spice it up even more.
When you are moving forward, never say never.
Dave1 said | November 29th 2009 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
instead of a lineout make the game more afl like AFL and get the linesman to throw it in.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
The rules for this play state that any obstruction will stop the play and lead to a restart at half-way. Does that mean that the defence can be offside? Or obstruct other players? If there is no kicks the ‘conversion’ rate will not be very high. Anyway we might as well trial it for one game, but a four-point conversion may become controversial if used in the NRL. It would also make the field goal for a seven point margin useless, instead it would be five/nine point margins. Four refs sounds good for a summer game, video refs explaining decisions is good, are the four quarters seeing players go to the sheds everytime or just breaks on the field? Because this is already used in summer matches.
Jado said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:44am | Report comment
What next? Bring in helmets and allow forward passes? I guess then the NRL could really sell itself to the Yanks. All they’d need to do is change the “R” to an “F” and they’re there.
M1tch said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:49am | Report comment
did someone call for the exaggeration blogger?
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 11:04am | Report comment
It had to happen.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 11:12am | Report comment
The players already have the option of head-gear, streamlined modern version of the helmet. The having the band(orchestra, lets take it to new heights) playing idea is a good one
Tom Alexander. said | November 25th 2009 @ 11:30am | Report comment
Rugby League needs to have some sought of anti-tampering law attached to it. Please enough of the “Innovations”, we don’t need anymore of them for now. We are still trying to digest the 2 referee system that was supposed to revolutionize the game. Once again the nameless, faceless TV executives will get their way. If people want to watch the NFL with all it’s fanfare/hype but very little game time, go and watch NFL. The attacking teams like Melbourne and Brisbane will have a field day with some of these rules changes. Just because someone uses a buzz word like “Innovation”, doesn’t mean it will work.
Dan said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:14pm | Report comment
And just because someone is afraid of change doesn’t mean change should not at least be experimented with if it holds the possibility of an improved spectacle.
Brett McKay said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
absolutely Dan – as much as I was looking forwad to the All-Stars game anyway, this double try thing sounds quite exciting, especially with the kick banned. It means to get the extra try, the attacking team will actually have to play some football.
Let’s try it at least before condemning it…
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Where did you come from Dan, yes dead true, and rugby league will embrace the Mic on refs and coaches idea, which will be adopted by other codes ASAP….. A american idea with merit. But like My Genaration says, we will blame the yanks if it dont work.
It will work.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 11:55am | Report comment
Interesting points y’all. When I saw this news on the news I was originally thinking this idea sucks and it’s attempting to sell RL yet again down the route of gimmickry rather than as a game of toughness and substance. Not just the Americanisation thing but the fact that again the value of kicking is about to be reduced. Unlike RU where kicking is king, RL really shouldnt be trying to reduce kicking even more than it has. Kicking the ball solves many problems that the Play the ball has created for RL
Having said that trying new things is important and the last one (other than costing the league quite a bit more in paying officials) was a great idea and because the game is smaller,meaner more streamlined already why not give it a go. It’ll create a better spectacle, but hopefully not at the cose of the tough as nails image that RL should never dream of losing even in an attempt to win over “American Rugby” fans
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Valid points, Jaredsbro, but I do think the value and variety of kicking has never been greater in RL than in recent years, the amount of tries that came from all kinds of kicks in the Four Nations Final being a case in point. I doubt the double try option will be used except in desperate circumstances, as is the case with the 2-point conversion in the NFL.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Agreed. The Kicking of the likes of Thurston, Lockyear et al is a huge facet of the game now, but if clubs/coaches/players work out a short cut that this 4-point conversion rule creates (and if kicking is made illegal on this one-off tackle) the kicking part of the game may become something like American Football’s very specialised…which is detrimental to the whole game, even if its only an immediate problem when a team goes for the four points, which may not be every three or four times particularly on a cold windswept day at Shark Park
I reckon teams like Melbourne and Brisbane (tho to be honest Brissys not really up in the set-piece try-scoring these days)) will work out a way that increases the pay-off (regularity of 4-point conversions) and decrease the risk of the converting team blowing those dead-cert opportunities…which tho wont make kicking less important will change the nature of the game towards a one-off mindest rather than the 6-tackle strategies which are now in vogue
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
Mygen, you are on the plot.
Yes the 2 try thing is just a smoke screen really for what they are trying to acheive. The mic’s are what this is really about, and the ref giving feed-back. Also having the touchies more involved. I noticed on the Spike feedback that they had boxes pop up on the screen explaining the rules on the run, so this is why mic’s are going to be introduced. The ref can then explain his decision.
Anyhow, here is to the Bomb, may it live on. cheers.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
LOL hmmm…well maybe. Bring in the Americans as long as we have the final say about how the game is played. The hypothetical discussions happening in the AFL threads about what if Aussie Rules was huge in the US has raised some good points about keeping custodianship of the game…but then again Channel Nine want what we want don’t they
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
Funny you mentioned that, i have just read today that their was a NFL advisor at a conference with Gallop in Sydney. Seems like big things are happening, behind the scenes. I think we are getting primed for US television, as i mentioned a week ago, spike are taking up the NRL for a full season, they probably want a few things changed. So here’s to spike, and another for rugby league. Cheers.
While the wallabies are playing against clubs in Cardiff to find form, rugby league is surging into the next millineum.
Siva Samoa said | November 25th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
the chances of it happening is zero then since you said it. nobody here believes anything you say. keep dreaming oikee.
will the kangroo’s or the kiwi’s ever goin g to play the likes of wigan or hull ever again ?
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
Guys, seriously. You are all happy with League slowly adapting (or at least trialling) ‘new’ rules taken from an inferior game in terms of speed and entertainment. Why Americanise a game that doesn’t need to. Honestly, do you really think something like this would add any value to the game.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
Not too sure bout the inferior part. I agree with you that American is not always better and I’m sure MyGeneration (maybe not Oikee tho
) is aware that American Football has sold itself to the TV audience, by breaking the game down into bubblegum-sized bits for the (re)digestion of Americans. RL won’t do that, not while or if there’s ever an indepedent comission but that’s another story
However why not trial it?
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
The thing is this, rugby league has fought other codes for long enough, to be frank, i am bored with it, so if it means putting some RazzaMatazz into the game to sell to a huge audience and have untold riches, yes bring on the changes, the sooner the better, and we can leave rugby union to its own devices, because we will be totally different to them.
America is rugby league’s salvation, and i am going to ride it all the way to the bank. And anyone else who is sick and tired of all the negative comments on rugby league, climb aboard the oikster express, Wayne Bennett already knows the future, we just have to beleive.
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:07pm | Report comment
Oikee
Making the game closer to the NFL if these ‘new’ innovation’s are accepted wouldn’t work in the States. The points of difference would at least give it a distinct personality. Have you seen the recent season’s of the USFL(United States Football League) or the NAFL (North American Football League). No, you wouldn’t no one would. Why? Because they were similar yet very different to the NFL. Both failed. League needs to emphasis its strengths as it is instead of slowly trialling simiular rules.
mitzter said | November 26th 2009 @ 7:21am | Report comment
don’t forget xfl
MyGeneration said | November 25th 2009 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Honestly don’t mind giving it a go in an exhibition game. Can’t see the harm. If it doesn’t add anything, so be it. It already has people thinking about the game, which is a good thing. The double try is only potentially replacing a conversion attempt, hardly a speedy part of the game.
Using terms like ‘Americanise’ isn’t really helpful. We can take what we like about the rule and apply it to our own circumstances, just as the Americans have been doing for years to a game that started in England. Unless we start calling it “The Macdonalds’ four-point conversion attempt”. That would be going too far.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Americanise, dont be scared old timer, Americanise, its what aussies are becoming, so it wont hurt you.
Gen Zer, surely you are not afraid of the future.?
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Not true Oikee…actually Australians are becoming increasingly conscious of protecting their culture from the vast majority of Americana which is drivel. There are good parts to Americana and the 4 pointer may be of value. I reckon the old Ocker teaming up with an American (or the American way of life or the Australian way of life which as a saying is essentially an Americanism
) a la Crocodile Dundee is of an older generation, a time when there was a certain loyalty to Americans for saving our aces during the war
You see Globalisation really has become Glocal
MyGeneration said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Oikee, if Aussies are smart, which I think we are (sometimes), we’ll take the good bits of Americana and leave the rest. I like me some hamburger, but with bacon, egg, pineapple and, of course, beetroot, all good Aussie innovations. So we can take the double try option and see what ingredients we need to make it work for us.
Geez, it’s almost lunchtime. For some reason, I suddenly feel like a burger with the lot, but by the time I walk up the road (Sydney CBD), I’ll go past half-a-dozen Asian take-aways, a couple of Indian joints, and a salad bar or two, plus some good old-fashioned Aussie burger/sandwich joints, and I’ll change my mind that many times. My point being, I don’t think Americanisation is the only game in town.
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:09pm | Report comment
My Gen
One of the ‘innovations’ are 4 quarter’s of 20mins. Advertiser’s wet dream. Just like the NFL. And in terms of continuity and entertainment it’s certainly not a good thing.
MyGeneration said | November 26th 2009 @ 6:25am | Report comment
I’m not a fan of that one, WCR, for the reasons you state (and it’s been done before). But you sure this is not just the sane thing to do on the Gold Coast in February?
Dave1 said | November 26th 2009 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
4 quarter’s of 20mins each works for AFL
Jado said | November 25th 2009 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
I think that’s what I was trying to say – even if I did exaggerate things a bit.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
YES, of course it would add value, rugby union has been in America for what? at least 50 years and gone nowhere really.
So if rugby league can crack a market over their on T/V to a stable audience, of course it adds value, not only to rugby league, but also getting bigger t/v dollars, more dollars bigger rugby league gets, hope you dont have a problem with that, its what all codes are striving for, t/v dollars.
Siva Samoa said | November 25th 2009 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
rugby union is doing alot better than rugby league in the usa. you don’t just turn professional with 18 pub teams.
your like a 15 year old getting losing his virginity.
Dan said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
One of the wonderful benefits Rugby League has over Union is that the NRL really do have real power in instituting rule changes, so the game can evolve in ways that Union finds difficult thanks to the obstinate home unions. I personally like a bit of experimentation in my sport. Not every experiment bears fruit, but they rarely fail to be interesting.
Siva Samoa said | November 25th 2009 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
so its rugby downfall that it has a international body that makes decisions and league is going to overtake it because wayne bennett and oikee say its ok to change the rules ? didn’t you guys notice how fighting over who is going to referee interntional natches makes mockery of rugby league.
Dan said | November 25th 2009 @ 7:31pm | Report comment
Wow, talk about setting up your non-existent straw men to make yourself feel better! If you’ve ever paid attention to my comments on this site you’d know that I am in fact primarily a Rugby Union fan. But being a rugby union fan does not mean that I cannot recognise the benefits that more localised sports with centralised executives have over there larger international counterparts in addressing issues with their respective rules. It is manifestly evident that the NRL has far greater autonomy than the IRB in dealing with issues of contention in its laws and stating so does not make me “anti-rugby” nor some how illustrate that I am suddenly promoting a view that Rugby League will become larger than union because of it. Please read my comments before jumping to conclusions.
Siva Samoa said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:08am | Report comment
fair enough dan. i would like to see the irb having the same set up as fifa and then desicions would be easier to make but i they would end up like that anyway.
i wouldn’t want the rugby unon to have different rules all over and i wouldn’t want one individual to change the rules when he feels like.
Jay said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
If kicking is not allowed that this may just be like the ‘optional’ 20 m tap. The only time a team would take the optional one tackle is if there is less then 10 minutes to go and they are more than a converted try behind.
tifosi said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
Quarters will eventually come in to increase tv revenue which i have no problem with.
As long as they dont implement time outs though.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
Will that mean amateur footy will have quarters as well? What about the ESL? I think halves are fine, I don’t think we should change the fabric of our game for money.
tifosi said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
Whilst i agree with you, unfortunately though the reality is tv money is what counts nowadays. If the NRL wants to compete against the AFL in future it will need it
Lower levels would enjoy the quarters i think, gives them a better break during the game.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
I love the 40-minute endurance test that we have in Rugby League. It’s just something about twenty minutes that won’t have the same build-up as 40 minutes. I mean what about the crucial 10 minutes before and after halftime. This is what I would rather but I agree that tv money is what counts. Damn tv.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:58pm | Report comment
Why, why not change for money, if someone offered you 50 thousand a year to do a job, and you left and thought you could do a better job for 200 thousand a year, Would you leave and do it better.?
Rugby league is that job, it left union and we need to do it better, we grow by changing, and if it means we get 100 million more for 4 quarters, we deal with it and keep growing, we dont say i am not doing this anymore, thats defeatist.
Like i said, 3×30 minute periods is our best option. It gives a extra 10 minutes for adds, now thats better than stopping after 20 minutes, at least fatique will set in and we also have interchanges to play with. Maybe only have injury interchanges, ?
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
And, most importantly, it gives you a extra 10 minutes playing time. Fatique again, so we might not have to change the interchange.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 7:42pm | Report comment
Come to think of it Oikee 3 periods of play is quite a good idea, again an Americanism that may be worth the value of making a fuss over it in the fist place. Ice Hockey (which I presume is how the idea occurred to you) needs more regular breaks due to the speed of the game which has actually increased the amount of tactics in the game.
Also half an hour is not too long for the Forwards to wreak havoc on the field, they don’t get too tired and thus the value of a try will go up as well as increasing the frequency of try scoring due to the extra 10 mins of play making defensive minded people and their offensive counterparts happier
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 7:58pm | Report comment
If someone offered me 50,000 to play League, and 200,000 to play union, I would play League. I don’t think that League would be a better game with 20 min quarters or 30 min thirds or whatever, especially when they change the rules for TV which means amateur footy changes for nothing.
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:15pm | Report comment
Oikee
Do you even like League. You seem to focus alot on it selling itself out more than the actual game. I’ve finally figured out what you do for a living. You’re a pimp.
Dan said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Did you really just say that? Changing the fabric of the game for money is pretty much the central point of Rugby League’s evolution as a sport! It exists as a different sport to Rugby Union precisely because it changed its rules to increase its appeal to spectators and EARN MONEY.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:38pm | Report comment
If it was all about money Rugby League would probably change completely every year into a novelty sport. It changes its rules because of players as well, Hey lets have a bull run out at halftime and the crowd can chase it, or it can chase the crowd. Or maybe the players can wear jet packs.
The 4/6 tackle rule was implemented because it made the game more enjoyable, for players and spectators, same with the 5/10 metre rule. I believe the Northern Union was created because of union’s amateurism, same with the Rugby League here in Aus.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Mate , i was watching a program last nite on Tele, about Buda -Pest, to different cities either side of the Danube river, in Hungary, now this country sided with Germany both world wars, copped a flogging, but to see the city centre was totally amazing. The Arcitecture and pride they have in their city is beyond belief, and they have moved into the future without holding a grudge.
So they have embraced the past and also moved on without worrying about the past to much. Now what we can learn from these guys is to keep moving forward, not be scared to let go of the past, if that means losing some of the things we love, so be it, Build a Meseum for the past. And like Budapest has done , move on in the future without baggage. Cheers.
Rugby league is a great game, you cant hurt it, kill it, bury it even. But you can change it, for the better. And no one, no one will stop us.
Says the mad doctor.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:24pm | Report comment
Oh and Rugby League can be hurt, killed even. My local Group, Group 17 was recently killed off because of lack of clubs, but mainly because of lack of help from the CRL. Rugby League has been killed in this part of the bush, and though we all fight to revive it, we will most likely never get it back.
Dogs Of War said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
That’s why we need an independent commission. The game has got too fat around the middle, with so many duplications of services occurring. Some streamlining of these areas would see the money actually getting to the people who need it most.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
OK then I’m all for an independent commission
Dave1 said | November 26th 2009 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Who would they be holding a grudge against? They sided with the Nazis. I think someone might be holding a grudge against them but.
Don said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
I can see Rugby League being even bigger than AFL in China with this innovation.
Pippinu said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
Although korfball is quite entrenched in Taiwan, they won the 2006 Asia-Oceania championships.
oikee said | November 25th 2009 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Look let me tell you one thing about Money, i use to respect Money, i was very harsh on players earning more than their worth, then as time wore on and they begain to flash up the dollars soccer players, tennis players , and golf players now earn. ?
As far as i am concerned, its only about money, so as far as i am concerned its game on Baby. Anyone who thinks that their code can earn a living in this world by not growing or not going, for the dollar, is kidding themselves. Your game depends on your code as a spectator sport to grow, if that means you get 100 million for having a dog jump through a hoop, get me the hoop.,.
Dont be suckers, greed is good, as Mundine would say, and lets face it, in a world where i can sue a council for falling over the footpath, who are the bad guys. ?
Sport is bussiness, treat it like bussiness, enjoy your rugby.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:08pm | Report comment
Hmm, yes. I think we should make the ball red, take away the crossbar, add two extra posts either side of the goalposts. This is sounding good. A bigger field means more action, so lets make it oval, 150 metres long. Excellent! The play the ball is too slow, lets get rid of it! Tries are not what the fans want to see, goals are the best. 6 points for a field goal, except you don’t have to drop-kick it, and if you get close enough you can have one point. And of course, dogs jumping through hoops every time a goal is scored, plus clowns on the sideline riding unicycles. Passes are boring backwards, so they can go forwards too. But that makes it too easy, we should have to punch the ball with our fists. Those takes are spectacular, so a mark should be called whenever one is taken on the full. Above all, lets move all our Sydney teams to Melbourne where the fans attend better . That should increase TV revenue, all why the sport is still called Rugby League.
Col the Bear said | November 25th 2009 @ 6:08pm | Report comment
is this NRL or NFL…??
Firestarter Bob said | November 26th 2009 @ 7:16am | Report comment
I think News Ltd are trying to move the games closer in skills and body shapes. That way the Telegraph will be able to not only have scaremongering headlines based on threats to rugby league from cashed up Japanese and European rugby union, the AFL invaders from the south, Super League clubs, but also now NFL franchises to plunder NRL stars.
Dave1 said | November 25th 2009 @ 6:30pm | Report comment
Maybe they could bring in one forward pass a tackle. You then could stop tries being scored from kicks.
Jaredsbro said | November 25th 2009 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
I’m no sure RL is all about the spectacle actually. And as someone said above, the game would only be about who can pay who the most which currently isn’t the case and definitely doesn’t explain State of Origin. That’s an Americanism which isn’t particularly good and doesn’t particularly work, basically holding the league to ransom in order to win the annual bunny race with Souths for eg is not the kind of game I want to pratronise
Actually SOO is a particularly good example as the scores are traditionally quite low but the passion is unending…must be because SOO means so much, not just because it draws the biggest RL crowds
matty1974 said | November 25th 2009 @ 8:08pm | Report comment
hey Oikee, what happened with the proposed usa pro rugby league comp that was due to start in 2010?
JF said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
What ever happened when they took the SoO to the USA (early 80s ??) ?
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Its coming brother, just sorting out the t/v deal, once that is in place it will be giving the red light. Would be nice if rugby union America, put some mussel behind the push, after all, thats where alot of players will come from, the rugby union colledge teams.
5 teams on the east, 5 on the west. Not bad for a game only been going for 10 years over there.
JF said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
This is all very confusing, haven’t we been hearing over the last couple of weeks that “Rugby League has the best product” – there is nothing wrong with the current RL product.
Sport can only take so much tweaking for entertainment value before it reaches a point of deminishing returns. Remember the XFL? Also, has anyone ever seen that stupid basketball game on One HD with the trampolines – two examples of a trying to take entertainment value too far and ending up with a cheap product that no one cares about.
Springs said | November 25th 2009 @ 9:09pm | Report comment
Thankyou JF. At least some people can see we do not need to change League radically to improve the product, it’s fine as it is.
Working Class Rugger said | November 25th 2009 @ 10:57pm | Report comment
JF
“This is all very confusing, haven’t we been hearing over the last couple of weeks that “Rugby League has the best product” – there is nothing wrong with the current RL product.”
Ding, ding,ding,ding we have a winner. My point exactly. We have been repeatedly ‘enlightened’ as some may call it to the pure perfection of RL how it is. It’s not my cup of tea but it does appeal. Why change. Or even bother trialling ‘new innovations’ such as 20minute 1/4’s or adding a further 2 referee’s bringing the total to 4 with two on the ground at once. What’s the point except for the further commercialisation of League. Yes, money does make the world go round but there is a limit before you turn a product that is working and has value into an extended advertising campaign for sponsor’s. Look at the game now. Every break in play they advertise, every time points are scored they advertise. Hell, they even advertise during the games now for Sportsbet. All these ‘innovations’ will do is create more space for advertiser’s to bombard us with crap. Initially more money will flow but in time people will begin to switch off. Not because they dislike the game but because there is only so much advertising content they could stand.
Some have said that it’s only a trial. But the NRL is a business. If they can sell more space to sponsors they will. It’s a dangerous precedent. When making money from a sport becomes the sole priority. We have too remember we are not Americans. We actually do have attention spans greater than a gnats. Breaking League up into ‘bite-size’ piece will do the game more harm than good. It’s great that the NRL change the rules to suit them but it could seriously effect the levels below.
The Link said | November 26th 2009 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Your posts are getting even more bizzare. Your faux outrage is wasted energy on a League thread.
Surely you see the irony of a Rugby fan bemoing a game for trialling rules when you’ve just gone through the ELV’s.
I am failing to see the logic of if you prefer a certain football code then it automatically cannot amend or improve its rules in anyway shape or form.
Tom Alexander. said | November 26th 2009 @ 12:20am | Report comment
Exactly right. Our game has been tampered with enough we don’t need anymore “Innovations”. I attended the Pacific Cup International 2 months ago between Samoa and the Cook Islands at Barlow Park and it was an excellent game with fast moving defence and big hits. You could see the NRL standard shining through. And all this with only Tony De La Heras (who i don’t much like) refereeing the match. The only queastion i had at the end of the game was, why did we need 2 referees in the NRL again? “Oh, that’s right”, to make for a better product. But the product looked just fine. Plus, what happens to the endurance factor we look for in State of Origin or Test Matches if players are given a breather every 20 minutes. With everybody microphoned up, and adds galore, i reckon for a lot of fans, it will end up being information overload. Besides, who really wants to listen to Ricky Stuart ranting and raving up in his box between Voss, Gould and the Fox Sports crew.
Working Class Rugger said | November 26th 2009 @ 12:31am | Report comment
Tom
It’s good to see that some League fans can look at issues relating to the game critically instead of joining the incessant cheer squad that often manifests itself here.
MyGeneration said | November 26th 2009 @ 6:40am | Report comment
That’s a ridiculous comment, WCR. This thread has been anything but a cheer squad. The fact that people are discussing rule changes indicates the exact opposite, albeit from the viewpoint of fans of the game. BTW, re changing ‘perfect’ games, ELVs anyone? Please name me a game that doesn’t look at tweaking its rules. Soccer maybe, but probably the simplest (rules-wise) of football games, and even they have a controversy re video refs at the moment. You keep overlooking the point that this is an exhibition game, on the Gold Coast, in February!
Mick from Giralang said | November 26th 2009 @ 6:59am | Report comment
Good point MG. Rugby league was born of innovation — we don’t fear change. The quality of the game as a spectacle today is proof of the value of evolution. Unfortunately for our rugger friends, their game is being suffocated by the hide-bound attitude of the ruling bodies in the Northern Hemisphere. The results on the field speak for themselves.
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 7:47am | Report comment
The only real change is the refs and coaches wearing mics. Thats just innovation, already happens in other sports, the rule they have not used is 3×30, now if its extra adds they need, this gives them that, plus 10 minutes extra game time.
Apart from that, throw in some bells and whistles, the game is fine.
Dont really know why people are getting worked up, you mention progress and people panic. The game has to make bigger dollars, if it does not we will be forever cherry picked by other codes. We all know this is true. Unfortunely that involves Money, ,, which is why i say greed is good, if your not greedy you go the way of the dinosaurs. 2009, this is the way it is, 2000 would not even be a issue. Greed has raised its ugly head, get used to it if you want your game to survive.
Now, where is that hoop.
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Rugby League is played outside of the NRL. It has always been a game of two halves. Amateur footy will get no benefit from extra ads and many struggle to play for the full 80. There is nothing wrong with two halves.
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 11:01am | Report comment
Thats where your wrong, rugby league will get bigger t/v deals if they have more add time, now consider my 3×30, for junior rugby league you can cut that back to 2×30, as you move up towards becoming more professional, it increases to 3×30. Under 16’s up.
Now with more money, the NRL can “pimp” some into the grass-roots, not that this is not happening, but if they can also get government funds attached to this deal, will kick start all those dying clubs in the bush. I have seen this 1st hand myself. I went to Texas and bush rugby league survives mainly by the locals who play the game. So funding would be a welcome friend.
Anyhow, 2010 looks like its going to be a good year, i have already put the squeese on the wife for more live games next year, so i will be playing my part. Again we have a double headed at sunny corp, plus a 4 nation final, also have to make a trip to Melbourne for a storm game and check out the new stadium. To top it off might go to Sydney for a origin game, cant get tickets to brisbane. Should be a good year.
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 11:26am | Report comment
If you knew about Juniors at the moment you would know that 7-10s are 15 min halves. 11-14s are 20 min halves, sometimes expanding to 25 or 30. U16s only play 30 minute halves. U18s have 35 minute halves. If you increase the games by 20 minutes you are going to see scores like 62-54, or 100-22, etc. U18s games were already averaging 60-70 points a game, whilst playing only 70 minutes. Ist Grade out here also averages 50-70 points a game. The 2008 GF was 40-36.
The NRL barely does anything for the bush. But i don’t expect them to, that’s for the CRL, NSWRL and the ARL. They are letting smaller clubs and comps die. The NRL can get more money with the game we have now. And my comps not dying, its DEAD. We had eight clubs, down to five in ‘06. Dead in ‘07. Reseve grade died in ‘02. Haven’t had juniors since the early 90s.
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
Ok, so the times really only effect the NRL games, and Toyota cup, good . Besides, i thought the major issue with kids are weight. We need to introduce weight systems again. And that could be a good starting point,
A Commission will help the game grow more, the needs of bush rugby are not being met by the ARL, i can see they are trying their best, but to be honest, i think they have 2 much on their plate and they are so outta date. Dinosaurs running the game, sound fimilar?
Anyhow, sit tight, the 1st thing the new board needs to do is get bush footy and junior footy sorted out. This would be the 1st job if i was on the board. Government funding would be my priority.
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Yes it does sound familiar. Good to hear you would help out the juniors and the bush. Well done.
Paul J said | November 26th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
This is not a very big change at all.
The double try option means the attacking team will get one possession only against a set defensive line and they can not use an attacking kick. It will be as common as 1st half field goal attempts, probably less.
It is what the NFL use for an 8 point touch down but will not make RL like the NFL in any way.
I don’t like the idea of 20 minute quarters (unless it’s a 40 degree day in Townsville) as it gives the players too much rest and what we want is tired forwards to allow more attacking opportunities.
I think they should bring this new rule in. It won’t be seen much but i’d rather see a team throw the thing around like crazy going for the double try than see some guy line up a conversion attempt.
Siva Samoa said | November 26th 2009 @ 10:16am | Report comment
oikee will wake up in his dream one day and stroll down sfs to watch the bulldogs play the eels where players will be wearing pads and helmets and the star player are the two quaterbacks. now that will be something.
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 11:29am | Report comment
And there will be 100 thousand fans evry game. And Wollongong will be playing Western Sydney Uni on their massive on-campus stadium. And don’t forget the tight pants.
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
The oikster will never wake-up from his dream, i am living it now.
The NRL is perfect, 1st time in over 30 years. 
Springs said | November 26th 2009 @ 4:16pm | Report comment
Very strange post. The NRL is perfect, yet you want all these strange innovations so we can get more TV money. Whatever.
Jaredsbro said | November 26th 2009 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
It’s actually good to have a code which cares (or rather is not deceived into not thinking) about making the game better. Now sure RL had more problems than Aussie rules (and I mention this as Aussie rules fans/players seem adamant that their game as a set of rules cannot get any better: what about the anarchy of the Aussie rules play the ball rule, one might hear me subtly murmur
)
Reading some of the comments on here makes me feel like I WANT to patronise RL more if the people on this site are to be believed
oikee said | November 26th 2009 @ 6:26pm | Report comment
Sorry, the game is perfect, so any rules changes can now be looked at and thought about, which is what rugby league is doing. Just to understand how strong the game really is going, the confidence of the NRL to showcase the Indigernous game,? We have the players to be able to do this.
Another high-light to me was the Kangaroo Kiwis 4 nation game in England played at the stoop. What a game that was, and the rivalry and joy both sets of fans showed at the game was something to behold. The comments that come from other neutrals at the game allows you to know we had delivered something special to the game played in London.
I will say it again, i am not dreaming, i am living my dream now.
Roll on 2010.
Jaredsbro said | November 27th 2009 @ 6:33pm | Report comment
Perfect…maybe in your opinion Oikee (and I do value it of course
) but much of Sydney obviously thinks otherwise as suburban grounds did not appear full all of the time which means there’s room for improvement. But in terms of the rules, the forward play seems less creative than even a few years ago when the Broncos last won the title (with Origin uber-Forwards of course) maybe the 4 point conversion will lead to smarter forward (play) Gus wants it so well maybe?
Dave1 said | November 27th 2009 @ 6:54pm | Report comment
the punters have moved on from suburban grounds. Its all about Homebush now
http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/2009.html
Jaredsbro said | November 28th 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Only for big occasions. One thing Sydneysiders seem to want is good old fashioned (afternoon
) footy like it used to be played. But there’s only so much golden age rhetoric a fan should be able to stomach in my opinion. But as Oikee keeps saying the game is great for atmosphere, thus smaller grounds, more mexican waves in denser spaces etc lead ti a better experience
I love both options, and both options need to be maximised to ensure we get maximum crowds…
Dave1 said | November 29th 2009 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Its not only for big occasions. Homebush averge crowds are bigger than any other ground in Sydney.
Only lang park and gold coast’s are bigger in the NRL
rusty said | November 27th 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Every year the proposed rule changes get more ridiculous and the double try is as stupid as it gets. They should be doing everything they can to avoid becoming more like the NFL.
M1tch said | November 27th 2009 @ 3:34pm | Report comment
How is this becoming the NFL?
Some people cant help but whinge everytime the NRL tries something different, back in the 60’s I bet you would have complained about going to the 4 tackle rule because that was NFL esk.