In order to promote more contests from set restarts, the NRL have updated their rulebooks for the 2024 season.
The league stated that amendments were ratified by the commission on Wednesday and had been conveyed to clubs ahead of the 2024 NRL pre-season trail matches.
The amendments to the rulebook read as such, per a press release from league headquarters.
'If a team kicks the ball out on the full over the touch line, or the ball fails to travel at least 10 metres forward in an attempt to contest a restart from the goal-line, 20m line, or half-way line, play will now restart with a play-the-ball 10 metres out from the line of the kick and 10 metres in from touch, rather than with a penalty kick. The change will give more incentive for teams to attempt short kick-offs or drop-outs.'
Within said statement, NRL Executive General Manager โ Elite Football Graham Annesley stated that while minor, the changes "will add to the unpredictability of the game."
โTeams will no longer risk conceding significant territory as well as a penalty for attempting to regain possession from restarts of play," Annesley added.
โWe undertook a thorough review of the 2023 season, including consultation with the NRL Clubs, the RLPA and other stakeholders, and while there was a strong desire to keep changes to a minimum, this minor change will incentivise short kick-offs and drop-outs.
โThis will strongly accompany the Commission's direction to enhance the existing rules, leading to a faster, more free-flowing and unpredictable game.โ
