Queensland State of Origin stars Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Valentine Holmes have warned the NRL there is no need for a blitz on wrestling, claiming the game’s speed is fine the way it is.
The issue of ruck speed is set to be on the agenda again this weekend, after ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys aired concerns over wrestling and slower play-the-balls shutting down the game’s stars.
The matter was expected to be discussed at Tuesday’s Commission meeting, while the NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley claimed this week teams were now pushing the envelope in defence on their own trylines.
Annesley also admitted referees had not adapted to increased wrestling and offside players on their own line, warning a tweak was coming in the approach of officials.
He added defending teams would need more control to avoid set restarts.
V’landys then denied he was trying to tinker with the rules again but wanted them policed more effectively.
But Gold Coast lock Fa’asuamaleaui joined the likes of Phil Gould, Billy Slater and Ricky Stuart in pushing against any changes to interpretations or increase in set-restart calls.
“No, no way. (The speed) is good the way it is,” Fa’asuamaleaui said on Tuesday.
“It’s a tough game and it’s still fast. Fans are still enjoying it, I don’t think there needs to be a crackdown. It’s still fast.
“It feels the same as last year. Quick-as in our games so far.
“I guess people are just saying that just because of the new penalty inside that 40 but apart from that the game’s still so fast.”
According to data released by the NRL on Monday, ball-in-play time had not dropped from last year despite the addition of penalties for offside and ruck infringements when a team is coming out of their own end.
Margins are also well down to 12.7 points, while 41 per cent of games have been decided by one try or less compared to 23 per cent last year.
Holmes also stated he believed the game’s speed had not changed.
“It’s definitely the same,” the Cowboys centre said.
“Nothing really has changed too much besides penalty coming out of your own end, but now everything seems pretty good.”
The pair’s comments come after Gould claimed any penalty or sin-bin blitz was a “load of rubbish” , with Melbourne, Parramatta, Penrith and Sydney Roosters all scoring big points over the weekend.
But there is little doubt some clubs would like to see the changes, with Manly in particular not finding the same freedom for Dally M Medallist Tom Trbojevic in 2022.
“I do feel like it’s been pushed in favour of defensive systems of teams,” Sea Eagles hooker Lachlan Croker said.
“I wouldn’t mind (the blitz).
“We found a lot of joy in our transition periods of the game last year and the way the rules are now has taken that bit of transition out of the game.”
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Clint
Roar Rookie
Despite any initiatives to try and force it, wrestling is not going to magically go away while ever there is a play-the-ball and a 10m defensive line in the game of rugby league. If you can affect a good 2-man tackle and get the ball runner onto their back to prevent a really quick play-the-ball (< 3 seconds) all good. If you take longer than 5 seconds then you get penalised. Simple. The rugby league ruck is a unique and important part of the game so why are we trying to get rid of it and turn it into touch football?
Clint
Roar Rookie
The RL Eye Test :thumbup: . Exactly TB. One would think that un-penalised wrestling would naturally result in a much slower play the ball speed yet it has barely changed since 2002.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
If the bleeding hearts are running and ruining the Judiciary process- then get someone in they with a set of gonads that can stiffen up the sentencing.Someone who can say - that outcome is not right,go back an do it again.At the moment it seems like we’ve got the Lunatics running the Asylum
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
To be the ARLC job is to say to Abdo and Annesley, we want you to make player welfare (as an example) a priority. Go come up with a plan to make sure this happens. Abdon and Annesley, come up with guidelines, rules, sanctions etc. show to the ARLC who endorse. If we have these issues like NAS pop up, they summon Abdo and Annesley to say what the heck, fix it or your out of a job. The closest thing to anyone on the Commission having any more insight into the rules of the game is Wayne Pearce. The rest are no more credential than literally anyone on this forum. They can do business strategy, create what the game stands for, how to raise money, where fundsa should be distrubited. But the rules of the game. Stop it already.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Andrew , if the Commission was really concerned with Players Welfare then they’d make sure tackles to the head of defenceless ball carriers , like the NAS one the other week, were sanctioned serverly.Instead they encourage little slaps like Chad’s last weekend, to cop the same punishment.
Rob
Guest
TB it’s impossible to see offside if you’re behind people. It’s like me watching the game and calling a pass forward sitting behind the goal posts. Does the official even know when the defensive can leave anymore. I thought it was once the ball has cleared the heel. Watching the Roosters on the weekend I thought it had changed to as soon as the ball is placed on the ground? I’m not sure if Sutton was second guessing himself over when the defensive line could leave either. Seriously it was a 6-8m rule for the Roosters most of the game. Sutton penalised numerous times but he was only happy to give the penalty on the first tackle but never after tackle 2? The Roosters were happy to push his resolve as they new he wouldn’t have a blow out in the penalty count IMO. Giving the Cowboy’s back to back penalties with 30 seconds left in the half was he’s way of correcting the penalty imbalance?
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Wow.He‘s gone from St .Peter to Buffoon in 12 months.He may be a Buffoon but he’s our Buffoon and you can’t have him
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
Why are the Commission messing with the rules of the game at all?! If the Commission have concern with player welfare or something, then fine direct the operational staff to take actions and if you don't like that action, tell them to go back to the drawing board. But the Commission don't get to decide what the rules of the game should be. It should be around strategy supporting and driving clubs toward best practice. Leave the game alone.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
It's not that I have a problem with the rules evolving for the benefit of players and spectators, it's the way they do it that just screams cringeworthy incompetence. If you need a rule looked at, then gather evidence during a season (or several), then discuss it with coaches/players/referees, then make the change at the start of the off season so that coaches and players have time to adjust. Get them some visits from the referees, put together some video packages demonstrating what is okay and what isn't. This is not rocket science; it is just how any organisation that is making a major change should introduce it to give those affected time to offer feedback, ask questions, and adapt. It just shocks me that a supposedly professional organisation can think it is okay just to change things on the fly - completely disrespectful to all involved. I love the game, but despair of those who administer it :unhappy:
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Nobody has done more harm to the game this century then David Gallop
Ferret
Roar Rookie
PVL came out and said the rules need to be changed 'cos he's not seeing enough of Tommy T and James Tedesco. Really? What about the other 270 players who run out each week in the NRL? The man is a buffoon.
Rob
Guest
They tweak the rules every week mate. Tom Gilbert gets sent for 10min for touching Keary ( in front of the ball carrier) running in the defensive line. Osako is penalised for returning a kick and a defender touches Fifita standing in no man’s land but classed as an obstruction because he is in front of the man carrying the ball. Same thing different tweaking. Papalli passed to a winger on the outside and got pushed in the back by Welsh and he is penalised for obstruction of the defensive line? Different spin. In reality Keary is obstructing not supporting running in front of a team mate carrying the football but Gilbert got 10min for placing his hand on the shoulder? Well it’s a Rooster and he fell to the ground. Maybe Gilbert was helping Keary get back behind the man with the ball? If he pushes Keary like Welsh did does he get a penalty? No different tweak he’s a Cowboys player. It’s embarrassing to watch but the good will always rise to the top and be winning. The losers well that’s just the way we like it and they’re really not going to make the finals again. Titans player placed the ball on the ground and rolled the backwards with his foot and lost possession and challenge for playing the ball correctly?
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
The game hasn't recovered since an insecure ego got rid of David Gallop.
The Barry
Roar Guru
We’ve had three rounds of much closer games and one round of relatively blow out scores. It will be interesting to see whether the weather has compressed the scores in the first three rounds and if the blowout was reflective of a round of mostly top 8 v bottom 8 match ups rather than a return to 2021 Either way, it’s way too early to be mucking about with the rules Rugby league eye test has done an article on this already this week. It confirms what most people think and what most players are saying - there’s no evidence of increased wrestling Lastly forget about ‘blitzes’. Just enforce the rules of the game. I think offsides are a bigger problem than the ruck at the moment. When I played it was simple. If you stood in front of the ref, you were offside. Now most refs stand back 12 or 13 metres and let the players decide where the 10 metres is. Why? There’s no need to tinker with the rules. If offsides were costing teams games they’d get back onside. But it’s this surge, blitz, target, forget mode of officiating that is impacting the game
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Christ, tweaking interpretations 4 rounds in? This mob just can't govern :angry: