The NRL is not set for major rule changes going into 2022 according to rugby league boss Peter V'Landys, though the competition could see tweaks to existing rules that debuted during the chairman's two years at the helm.

The new rules, such as the six-again call and the captain's challenge, were trialed after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the suspension of the season in 2020. The league resumed in the second half of the year, with new ideas on how to increase scoring and entertainment for fans.

The six-again rule, which was formally introduced in 2020, and then extended across the game in 2021, is designed to make a "fast game, less stoppages and more free-flowing action for fans" according to the NRL. However, the rule has come under scrutiny after teams manipulated it to stop an opposition's forward momentum.

V'landys conceded to The Sydney Morning Herald the rule could be tweaked as the league looks to make improvements over summer.

โ€œA lot of the coaches have said when theyโ€™re stuck in their own half itโ€™s not much of an advantage [to receive a six-again],โ€ Vโ€™landys said.

โ€œIt is one area that has been mentioned that we will certainly look at. It could be that it might not be a six-again when youโ€™re in your own defensive end, and instead a penalty.

โ€œNone of this has been approved, but it has been raised and it will all come under consideration when we see the final report. But from my understanding, the Commission would prefer to consolidate this year rather than make a lot of change.โ€

The rule changes, which were introduced to make the game more free-flowing and engaging, led to increased player fatigue and a season of record blowouts. A Saturday in Round 16 made headlines for all the wrong reasons, with all three games concluding with sizeable margins. In total, the day ended with a 148-6 tally across the three matches.

Referring to a poll conducted by the NRL earlier in the year, V'landys suggested that fans were enjoying the new rules and the league had no reason to make any major changes.

โ€œWeโ€™re going to consolidate this year,โ€ Vโ€™landys said.

โ€œYouโ€™ve got to listen to the fans, and I feel a lot of the fans overwhelmingly like the rule changes which is why we want to consolidate. We need it to bed down.

โ€œPeople now find the captainโ€™s challenge part of the game, and once they get bedded down and become par for the course they forget about it and recognise itโ€™s just part of the game."

The poll, which ran on the NRL website, was completed by more than 28,000 fans.

54% voted that the six-again rule was a positive addition to the game, while 52% of fans suggested that the referees bunker should be used less. The majority of fans (65%) believed that the speed of the game was just right.

The NRL's innovations committee is set to meet in the next month, with any new rule changes to be signed off on in early December.

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