Reports earlier this week, suggesting a radical change to the NRL kickoff, were met with an almost unanimous disdain.
For those who missed it, WWOS reported that teams would be 'punished' for long kick offs via a seven tackle set, should the ball be kicked into the receiving team's 20 metre line.
If, like me, your shoulders tensed just reading that nonsense, you understand why almost every reply in the comments was to the negative.
The thinking is solid, I guess.
There were two or three instances in 2024 where a kickoff was the only action a player saw on that day due to concussion.
Moses Suli exited the Anzac Day blockbuster on the very first tackle after suffering a horror head knock.
Lindsay Collins only lasted the one play in the Roosters preliminary final clash with the Storm, once again due to a sickening collision whilst returning the kick-off.
Let me just say, I am for any rule change that protects players.
No players, no rugby league. No rugby league, and I have to face reality. We all know how much I hate that.
Seriously though, if I thought this rule would have any effect on player safety, I would absolutely support it.
I straight up don't though.
This is rugby league. A contact sport. There is a chance of an injury in every single tackle, in every single game, or training session. Need I go on?
Making the mooted rule change even more ridiculous was the fact that the seven tackles would only be rewarded if the kick travelled into the 20 on the full.
Cue every single kicker spending the off-season grubbering the ball as far as possible, to almost no change in the first up collision.
This considered rule change just screams reactionary, moreso over-reactionary, from the current NRL administration.
I would be much happier seeing players sighted for repeated head high shots actually suspended, perhaps deterring those players from offending over and over again.
How rich was it seeing Trent Robinson come out and say he wants to see players held to account for high shots? ... Days after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves's time at the club drew to a close.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona missed a grand final (and Pacific Nations tournament) after finally falling on his sword of terrible discipline throughout 2024.
He was allowed to accept a serious of almost humerous fines, until enough was enough and he was forced to accept a massive suspension.
Why not just suspend players who cause concussions due to high tackles instead of implementing another confusing and I believe ineffective rule change?
Why not just mandate headgear and mouth guards?
Or ban tackling all together?
Again, I don't want to make light of players getting hurt but if you break down the collisions across NRL games, how many kickoffs do we have a game?
Seven or eight? Possibly more if the Dragons or Tigers are playing.
Three of those are short kickoffs, so you're really only seeing five kick offs per game.
Do we really need to throw more pressure on officials to draw an imaginary line at the 20, and remember to add another tackle? Only if the ball doesn't bounce first though ...
The NRL just need to flat chat come out and say that they want short kick offs.
That's all this is.
More contested footy. More ball turned over either in the attacking zone, or 35 to 40 metres from the try-line, setting up an early attacking kick.
They proved that last year with the addition of short kick-offs and short drop outs not being penalised.
I get it. I'm a fan. I also love long kicks off though.
You couldn't pay me enough to take that first hit up in Origin. Players love it though!
Do you really think there's that big of a difference with Payne Haas bringing it back from the goal line, or 23 metres out?
Do you think Lindsay Collins would have avoided being hurt should that ball have landed 20 metres further away? He would have just taken a longer run up and met the oncoming defence with more force.
Who is to say Moses Suli isn't ruled out the very next tackle on Anzac Day, should Waerea-Hargreaves have not caused the damage that he did returning a kick off?
The NRL have seen two, albeit horror highlights, and have had a knee jerk reaction.
My thinking is that they floated the idea, it was slapped down in a big way, and now they've pulled away. Smart business to test the waters, and not the first time the competition have done so.
Finals play in round anyone?
How about all the times kickers were taken out? Seven tackles!
Halfbacks hit off the ball? Seven tackles!
Why not just make every set a seven tackle set?
Too reactionary!
Just suspend those who hit high, with force, and thus force players and coaches to adjust their techniques.
The ball travelling 20 metres less in the air is not going to change a thing.
If the NRL want to react, it should be to immediately start the promised operations overhaul.
Start with the Bunker, Graham Annesley and the Glenn Maxwell.
Those are the three issues that make my head hurt!
