I am a believer that there is nothing wrong with a draw after 80 minutes of play in regular season matches.
However, I can see the merit in having a result, and at the end of the day the 2015 GF going to golden point was exciting. The current system works, it does produce a result. But I can do it better, so join me on this journey, where I change golden point because I can do it better.
First change straight of the bat, is changing the competition points system, where a win in regular time is now worth three points instead of two. A loss during regular time remains zero, and nothing changes for the large amount of games decided within the regular 80 minutes of play.
I’ll come back to this in a moment, the major change to fixing golden point is in regard to how it plays out. The five minutes each way stays, but the game doesn’t immediately finish when a point is scored.
Instead, one more set of six is played, where the team that is now losing receives the ball and has a full set to try and score. In the event of a line drop out, knock on by opponent, penalty than play continues.
The ‘extra set’ continues until either time expires, the attacking team loses possession and the defending team gains possession or they score.
This allowance of one more set, with caveats that line drop outs and knock ons where they retain possession don’t end play stops teams darting of the line and swiping at the ball or being penalised for being held up and forcing a drop out. It gives plenty of chances for attacking play, but not time unlimited as the five-minute halves remain.
The other big change here, is how points are awarded for games that go to golden point. For winning golden point, you only get two competition points. Losing in golden point you are still awarded one competition point.
So three points are still allocated per match, just you walk away with something when you draw at full time, but you don’t get rewarded for requiring more than 80 minutes to win.
So, using the 2015 season as a template, how would these changes to competition points affect the ladder? All that would change, is that the Rabbitohs would be the home team in their elimination final match against the Sharks and Parramatta would go one place higher.
The obvious conclusion then is ‘why bother?’ If it doesn’t make a big difference than why do it.
I would argue that because it makes such a small difference, then it should be implemented. With both changes, it would incentivise teams to try and win in regular time.
The other side effect is a golden point win and loss under the new system is the same as the current win and loss. But a golden point loss is worth more than regular season flogging. Newcastle’s performance last week against the Broncos wouldn’t be worth the same as Tigers losing to Storm.
So there we have it Roarers. Golden point gains itself a right of reply, and the losers come away with one competition point. Am I on to something? Or should I head back the hockey pitch where we celebrate draws with a point each and go home?
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