With Johnathan Thurston winning the game off his boot and handing Cowboys their first premiership, the chatter swung over to golden point – and Mr. Bennett’s dislike of it.
The field goal festival doesn’t do it for me, as I’ve seen that it normally begins with a penalty to get the metres.
So why not improve it by making a few modifications.
We need to bring back normal extra time. There needs to be five minutes each way, where you play out the entire 10 mins of extra time, regardless of how many field goals are kicked.
In the regular season, you can finish the game based on whatever result happens – whether win, lose or draw. In the finals, then you continue the golden point festival to get a winner.
By playing a full 10 minutes of extra time, you give broadcasters a set buffer of time they need to allow in the event of a game going to extra time, and give them a guaranteed extra 10 minutes of content. It also gives the fans hope, that if their opponents are within 30 of the sticks, that they can kick for goal, and not finish the game.
It stops the referees deciding games by awarding or not awarding penalties that give them the ground position to kick for goal.
Now, I know in this version I still allow for the field goal festival during the final minutes. But this is purely to get a result, as it is a final. I have seen some codes in the local leagues use ‘highest ranking team’ to decide draws.
I think that’s stupid, as it rewards teams for finishing well in the season, but punishes teams that start season poor, and find late season form.
An idea that wouldn’t work, but crossed my mind, is for extra time to go to penalties. It would be funny to watch, but it’s really not what rugby league is about. Plus at least in football and field hockey, you use five strikers and a goalkeeper.
In league, it would only be your normal kicker, and likely from five randomly selected locations. It is not only a silly way to decide a league match, but not really feasible. But the thought did cross my mind when looking at how other codes do it.
So, what do you think Roarers? Is there any merit in playing a full 10 minutes of extra time? Or should teams just kick more field goals during the game to avoid level scores at the death?
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
I think Igor also won the arm-wrestling comp on Rex Mossop's Sunday program. I was lucky enough to have a chat with Terry during this season. It was at Campbelltown Stad, he was there watching Chad's SG Ball side. Great fella and happy to talk about the old times. He's still in good shape, plenty of battle scars.
Birdy
Guest
Hi Jason , I'm back. My lap top is on vista and giving me lots of grief . Terry Randall 's career ran from '70 to '82 including the '70 semi against St George . I think we all know his career as one of the best all time defenders , in my research I discovered he was the first player to score a 10 in the RLW ratings in ' 78 also against St george . Back to the golden point . I don't mind the idea that much , I would still prefer the draw. My biggest problem with it is , I really really like the FG. Under GP it is over used and teams start the FG marathon from the 70th minute.
Bob
Guest
Bring back the biff
Tucker
Guest
Golden point came in because Qld won a Origin series from a drawn game (because they held the shield from the previous year). This didn't go down well with the NSW power brokers, so they changed the rules to get an definitive winner. Golden point has been around since 2003, with some great games being decided by a fg. Everyone knew the rules leading into the grand final so I don't understand what all of the noise is about. If the Cowboys scored a try, thus winning the game, would there still be all of this negative commentary about golden point? Probably not, because it's a try & not a fg...
Mat D
Guest
Sounds like a good idea the " Golden Try ", however, you are forgetting the infamous video ref. What happens if a Premiership is decided by a controversial interpretation of a try, or if the video ref is wrong. At least we can all see the ball go between the posts with a ' Field Goal ". Too much controversy this year with the video ref imagine if they decide who wins a Grand Final. All hell would break loose. Then Bennett would have a field day with his possible "bad sport" comments if he looses.
Jason Hosken
Guest
Thanks Birdy, nice scoop and your efforts appreciated this end. As a 70s kid, i still laugh now as to how i found out that field goals used to be worth 2 points. On the back of a Terry Randall Scanlens footy card it was noted that he'd kicked one field goal in his career. Oddly for me was the * next to it. At the bottom of the card it explained it was a 2-pointer from back in the day. I wonder if Igor played in your 1970 semi final... I dont mind golden point, it's still footy skill deciding the outcome and you dont have to play for a fg.
Mat D
Guest
I wonder if the majority of people posting negative comments on this forum about "The Golden Point " are Broncos supporters. Would this have been such a huge issue if Hunt had kicked the winning field goal and the Broncos had won. Bennett wouldn't have made his "bad sport" comment about Golden Point being " unfair ". I'm a St.George supporter and honestly didn't care who won. What I did get to see was a Rugby League spectacle of huge proportions. That made my year. Besides JT deserved his Premiership. Frankly, whatever we say here is irrelevant. Dave Smith has already declared that the "Golden Point" is here to stay. He's the boss whether you like him or not. If it ever does change in a generation or so, we may just get the extra 10 minutes each way and if it's still a draw. Guess what : Golden Point.
Bill
Guest
Golden try
Birdy
Guest
Hi Jason , You have actually encouraged me to do some research, and it hurts.ha ha While Eric Simms was the main reason for the FG being changed to 1 point , the straw that broke the camels back was the 1970 semi final , Manly v St George . Manly winning 15-6 It was Fulton and Batty slotting 5 FG between them. Only 1 try by Batty for the match. Neither side made the GF and after a lot of bad press the FG was lowered to 1 point. Used properly , in my opinion , the well executed FG is every bit as exciting as most tries . Unfortunately it has been overused since the golden point came into play.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
I'm over golden point too. My only question is how does one get a result if the scores are still level after an extra time period?
Geoff Evans
Guest
Totally agree Wayne. They should get rid of the golden point system and go back to extra time like in the old days. They should play out the full extra time and if still tied go to first try scored. Wayne Bennett is on the Rules Committee so he should talk about it there .
Mat D
Guest
Nuh, leave it as it is. If a team is good enough it will score the required 1 point to win the game. It's exciting, as we saw in the Grand Final, and requires lots of pre planning and total accuracy from the games best to kick that elusive filed goal to win the game. It's a shame the so called "Super Coach" Wayne Bennet couldn't have been more sportsman like in defeat by congratulating the Cowboys win without throwing in the "unfair, it's just a lottery" comment after being beaten in Golden Point. I expected more from him. Would he have said that if The Broncos had won. Good coach who works well will good players but needs to accept defeat graciously. Bennett lives back in the dark ages where a draw meant a re-play the following week. This is 2015............we get the result on the day and move on. Imagine the logistics and preparation required to do it all again 7 days later. Pure madness. Face it Wayne, Cowboys beat your Broncos, Both teams will take a lot away from this brilliant contest and be better teams for it. Just a congrats would have been nice without the, but...........( excuses ) By the way Wayne, the real full time score was 17-16 Cowboys win. That's not unfair to anybody.
Jamieson Murphy
Roar Guru
They should make it golden try. Have normal extra time and the first try wins. You can still go for drop goals, but a try will end the game - it's kind of like the golden snitch in Quidditch
Jason Hosken
Guest
Gday Birdy. Eric Simms dealt in field goals for Souths and pretty much saw the halving of their worth.
QConners
Roar Pro
My thoughts exactly. Not sure why they ever felt the need to change it. In my opinion, normal extra time is just as exciting as golden point, if not more.
QConners
Roar Pro
I think Golden Point should only be played after 10 minutes of extra time if scores are still level. Also during the season, the result should be of that after 80 minutes. It isn't fair that a team tha gets trounced by 40 and give up half way through the game be awarded the same as a team that just loses in extra time. The way it used to be is fine.
Baracuda
Guest
Scrap golden point for regular season, just keep it for finals where a result is needed on the day
Birdy
Guest
As an old fart , I loved the field goal. It was often well planned , mostly unexpected and was often a game winner. If my memory serves me correctly , bob Fulton and Ray Brannigan were responsible for it being reduced to 1 point. The reason being they slotted several field goals from 40-50 meters out to go into a grand final. The crowd hated it and so did the media. Imagine if they saw the overuse of the FG today? I still love a well planned and executed FG but only from out of the blue. Lose golden point, nothing wrong with a draw and let's have 5 each way in finals etc.
AJM
Guest
Some good thoughts there Wayne and a lot of common sense. I'm not anti golden point and it does provide some drama at the end of tight match but for knock out games at least there needs to be a set extra time period. Referees are so reluctant to award penalties within kicking distant because they don't want the perception that they decided the match even though the penalty may well have been justified. This way they won't be as hesitant to give penalties if they know the opposition has a right of reply. Wayne Bennett's idea of a replay just wouldn't work for so many reasons. Never mind the logistics of expecting 80,000 odd people, a lot who will have flown in from not just around the country but around the world, to turn around and do it all again next week, history would say that the replay is generally a one sided blow out that tarnishes the memory of the original tight match. I'm happy for golden point to remain as is for the regular season but for finals matches it must go to set period. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Greg johnson
Guest
Yep i think you got it spot on i hate the current golden point system and would be happy for a draw during normal season.