The restart to the NRL season has come with some exciting attacking football being played and the scorelines have reflected this.
Winning teams have generally scored heavily, with the first game in Round 4 being a perfect example of this.
In the seven games played since the resumption, only one game, the Penrith/Newcastle draw, could be classed as a close affair – “close” being the teams were separated by a try or less at full time.
There have been some serious blowouts in more than half the games, with teams struggling to score any points at all. In six out of the nine games, the losing team has scored six points or less – two-thirds of the time.
If we go back and examine each game, there are going to be reasons why sides have lost so badly. Perhaps it’s due to injuries, perhaps it’s down to youth, maybe the team is lacking real quality or maybe they’ve got a dud coach and have no confidence.
The one common factor though is the new six-again rule change. There’s no doubt these other issues may have played a part in the outcome, but coaches are quickly realizing that once a team gains momentum, it’s very hard to do anything to stop it, hence the scoreline disparity.
The Roosters coach Trent Robinson made some interesting comments on this issue:
“There will be less close scorelines. That’s a given.”
“The most resilient teams will be in the game for the full 80 minutes. The less resilient will be gone by the 70-minute mark.”
“Teams have to be very good at momentum changes, defending them as well as attacking them”.
He has no issues with the six-again rule change, but sees big scores and large differentials as a by-product.
The question is, are blowouts something the NRL wants or needs?
It’s safe to say Australian rugby league had become defence-oriented in recent seasons and coaches were trying a variety of tactics, both legal and otherwise to slow the game down. This meant the scorelines were closer and there were even upsets (some of the efforts from the Bulldogs and Tigers last year spring to mind).
The net result though was a game that was becoming increasingly difficult to watch.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The new rule has resulted in far more attack, but it seems that attack has largely been one-sided. Teams that have the momentum after the first ten or 15 minutes have gone on to win most games since the resumption and generally by quite a distance.
There’s no doubt coaching staff will be working overtime in the coming weeks, devising ways of managing momentum shifts in light of the new rule. The tactics they’ve previously used will cost them dearly if used now, so they’ll need to come up with different solutions.
In the meantime, it’s likely there’ll be more big scores, perhaps highlighting the difference between the really good teams in the competition and those which are a class below.
Will this change be a good thing for the game? Time will tell the tale of course, but regular huge scorelines are just as much a blight on the game as overly defensive games are.
Hopefully the game will reach a happy medium, so we can enjoy some great attacking rugby league while still having close games and a close competition.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I think the new rule is certainly for the benefit of the game as long as it gets interpreted largely as it has been over the first few weeks. I don’t think that the blow out will become the norm. Paul must have missed the Parramatta v Manly game. Super fast with Parramatta dominating field position and super patient in attack waiting for the points to flow. They didn’t because a very well coached Manly side kept backing up in defence, getting off their line and shutting down the play. In the past what we would have seen is a team earn the right to get a quick play the ball and if they were in front by 10 or 12. The ref would give the other team a little bit longer holding down the ball runner to get the lines set. It was super annoying to watch and it only ever got picked up on for repeated offences in their own 20. Now we have a right system where if a team earns the right to get the momentum, if they’re clinical, they can maintain the momentum without under handed tactics being used to slow it down. Manly just showed them all, that if you work hard then you can bring that momentum back on an even keel and even tip the balance. Brisbane last week weren’t disciplined. They went back to old habits when the eels got a roll on and got punished for it. They learned nothing during the week and doubled down and the Roosters slaughtered them for it. I applaud V’Landys for making this change. The game is so much better to watch because of it. The coaches and recruitment managers that built rosters full of huge, non-mobile packs, have to work fast. It’s hard to overnight turn 15-20 minute battering rams into consistent workhorses with big motors. It will increase the value of those Middle big guys that can play 60-80 minutes a game like LoLo, Brown, Haas, Klemmer, Arrow, and Murray. it will also make coaches be more savvy with their benches if they still want to play too many battering rams. I most of all like that this will bring the little guys back into the game.
Pete
Guest
NRL Always changing the rules to satisfy the couch potatoes and media wanting action...
Womblat
Guest
Clever analysis. Not an old ref by any chance?
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
I'm seeing an awful lot of ball handling errors in the last 15 minutes of games as tired 'big men' are struggling and yet I'm not seeing 'little men' running rings around them as predicted. I want my old NRL back.
Womblat
Guest
"I am not convinced a faster game is a better game." I think that's as wise a statement as I've seen on these blogs. When they tinkered with the rule from afar they overlooked a simple truism... that people like the gladiatorial nature of the sport, the controlled violence, the collisions, the guts, and the sheer attrition. Sacrificing these things for speed in the hope of a more attractive product is napkin maths and shows a lack of understanding of the true beauty of the sport. If you want sheer speed, watch modern Touch Football or OzTag. Quick as blazes, fun to play, but no brutality and thus no real attraction. I just hope they learn from their mistakes before they ruin a sport they rule but don't understand.
thomas c
Guest
The worst case is that the game continues in a semi broken state with some games reflecting how the new rules should work and other games where the ref ignores stuff, thus mitigating the rule and contaminating the data set. The knights game was the best yet. The storm one was moderately close, but the storm were able to get enough breaks in and the ref missed some stuff. They even had some penalty goals to slow things (which had been a bit of a rarity). The other problem with six again is that it's a uniform disincentive. On tackle 1, who cares? My theory is that the refs will undermine the new rule to fix the balance and that the NRL will claim it was a success. A couple years back, the refs called tackles almost immediately based on new guidance. They backed away from it after 2 weeks. The problem is that the team that the old rules benefitted is probably one that the NRL needs to at least be competitive.
Paul
Roar Guru
Trent Robinson thinks otherwise, TB. I completely agree it's not just about the 6 again rule but also about a completely different mindset in both attack and defence. There's always been momentum swings in rugby league but in recent seasons, it's been relatively easy to stop teams scoring as a result of how the refs interpreted the rules, which played into the hands of the defence. The table's been turned to a degree and I think there's going to be more high scoring games with large points differentials, at least till coaches work out how to manage the momentum shifts.
kk
Roar Pro
A soft '6 aga' is akin to being bitten by a king brown. You had better get to recovery real quick. The doctrine of consistency will soon again be in the spotlight.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Too early to tell. The Broncs got flogged by Parra in last years finals but this year the flogging is due to the rules? Then they bumble around against a red hot Roosters and it’s still the rules? I actually think the changes will have an effect and it may not all be good but teams and coaches will adapt in time. I like the concept in theory, but I won’t make my mind up completely until the season is over.
Walter Black
Guest
..... and we have got to help the Broncos, as if not having to travel every week, live in a different county, be on free to air every week isn't enough. Perhaps we should just give them 6 points start every game and be done with it. As for 6 again / 1 ref, its exactly the same for every team. Its just another challenge, get over it.
Rellum
Roar Guru
If a couple of early six again calls are enough for a team to fold then that is the fault of the team that is folding. We are just seeing just how poorly most NRL teams are run. The long lay off with very sort preseason is exposing that. The extra fatigue is just a minor multiplier
danwain
Roar Rookie
Completely agree, we have just seen some good teams comprehensively beat some average teams. Last night's game was close as the teams were quite evenly matched, and I would expect that's game between the eels and Eagles to be close due to that reason also.
The Barry
Roar Guru
With so many other factors at play in this unique stop start season, I’m not convinced it’s the six again rule that’s causing blow outs Using the two Broncos games as an example, they were comprehensively outclassed and outplayed by the Eels and the Roosters. There’s no way it was down to the six again rule Did Manly pump the Bulldogs because of 6 again? Nope they were just heaps better. Ditto Warriors v Dragons and most of the games last weekend
jamesb
Roar Guru
" I am not convinced a faster game is a better game" People have often commented on the speed of the game. But with less stoppages, we are seeing more football been played.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Not much data to go on yet.
jamesb
Roar Guru
There may be blowouts for the remainder of the season. But players and coaches deserve to have an off season where they could prepare themselves for the six again rule and playing under one ref. Also playing infront of an empty home stadium doesn't help teams like the Broncos either.
JGK
Roar Guru
This highlights the folly of changing rules part way through the season (and with little warning). Some teams just aren’t compiled to play under those rules (Roosters are obviously fine with it hence Robinson’s comment). Personally, i had little problem with the way the game was played last year. It isn’t AFL - you don’t need 10 tries a game for it to be entertaining. One thing I worry about is League staying to look like union in the attacking quarters. One side just moves the ball around until they get a “6 to go call” and the defending side eventually gets run off its feet.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
Looking like Super League more and more with one subtle difference. Like almost every other ball sport you could mention, Super League had the scoring team kickoff rather the team scored on. Otherwise we're gonna see more and more football like the under sevens. One team dominating until half time when the kickoff puts the other team in position to get some momentum but by then the mental factor kicks in if they are already way behind. I am not convinced a faster game is a better game. Ausyralian Rules Football is a very fast game but enormously haphazard in it's outcomes play by play.