new high contact rules

[BurgoShark]

9. Scratch heads and wonder why ratings have dropped and subsequent broadcast deals are way down due to less talent on the field.

Yep.

 

[HaroldBishop]

NRL might have to rethink if there is enough talent for 2 extra teams if squads are going to need to be 40+ due to incidental high contact and defenders getting themselves in bad positions

Yep, I said this last week about roster numbers. Seriously, 30 will not be enough with injured and suspended players.

 

[BurgoShark]

I probably should note here, I actually know some of the high up NRL junior development guys. They are very much trying to get the safety rules (safeplay code) applied at the junior level (e.g. up to u15's anything above the armpits = high tackle, no ankle taps, no lifting) but the referees (in Qld anyway) fall under the local leagues (not the NRL) so the message is not getting there. In my experience 100% of junior refs don't know/apply the safeplay code.

 

[Capital_Shark]

I probably should note here, I actually know some of the high up NRL junior development guys. They are very much trying to get the safety rules applied at the junior level (e.g. up to u15's anything above the armpits = high tackle, no ankle taps, no lifting) but the referees (in Qld anyway) fall under the local leagues (not the NRL) so the message is not getting there. In my experience 100% of junior refs don't know/apply the safeplay rules.

Whats wrong with ankle taps?

 

[apezza]

Whats wrong with ankle taps?

They may slip up and get their head.

 

[BurgoShark]

Whats wrong with ankle taps?

It's deemed a dangerous tackle. All of this is backed up by research, so my assumption is that there is a historical evidence of injuries from ankle taps. New Zealand bans it outright.

From the Australian Safeplay Code (All games in Australia up to and including u15): It is an infringement to ankle tap the ball-carrier. This is not to be confused with a defender who makes a genuine attempt to wrap his arms around the legs of the player.

From the NZRL Laws (all ages): Any defender who runs at a ball carrier and without attempting to tackle, grab or hold the ball carrier and notwithstanding use of the arms throws him/herself to make direct contact with the lower leg and ankle region of the ball carrier is guilty of a dangerous tackle.


***

The other rules for Australia up to u/15 are:

- As I said above, any contact above the armpits is high (but if the ball-carrier is falling/ducking it it permitted to contact the shoulder)
- No lifting (the rule specifically says that this does not include a good tackle that knocks the player of their feet, but most refs fudge this up)
- Legs can't be used to get the player to the ground (even if you have a hold of the player)
- You can't push the ball-carrier (it has to be a genuine attempt at tackle)
- Players can be removed from the game for foul or inappropriate language
- No dangerous palms (e.g. stiff arm palm to the face), no dangerous flops, no pushing in scrums
- Plus some really obvious ones like no crotch-holds or shoulder charges

 

[HaroldBishop]

Wow have never heard that before. Dangerous to the attacker or defender?

 

[BurgoShark]

Wow have never heard that before. Dangerous to the attacker or defender?

Attacker. Anecdotally I can support this. I had a few very painful moments from ankle taps as a teenager. Both ankle injuries and other injuries from high-speed collision with the dirt on short notice (ankle taps often catch you unaware).

 

[HaroldBishop]

Attacker. Anecdotally I can support this. I had a few very painful moments from ankle taps as a teenager. Both ankle injuries and other injuries from high-speed collision with the dirt on short notice (ankle taps often catch you unaware).

There you go.

They're banned in AFL but I always thought that was because ankle tapping a guy who is about to kick could be very dangerous.

 

[bort]

In juniors around mid teens we had a really good player (very fast, big build) make a break and get ankle tapped, landed hard on his front and football pushed his shoulder out. Never got his shoulder right again and had to stop playing. Without knowing the data I've always considered this more unlucky than anything dangerous but I always think of it when an ankle tap connects in NRL

- Plus some really obvious ones like no crotch-holds or shoulder charges

PC culture has the world gone mad!

 

[BurgoShark]

The other big one for juniors is that for kids under 12 you can't do "pressure kicks", which means you can't do any kick that is designed to give your chasers time to arrive and pressure the receiver. 100% of refs have NFI with this rule. I've seen under 10's teams end every set with a cross field kick and not get penalised because it "wasn't high enough", I've seen under 9's do short kick offs and short drop outs, and I've seen teams send half a dozen players "downtown" to hover around the fullback and smash him as soon as he catches it. Ref says "not a bomb, so all good". On the flip side you see kids get penalised all the time for a kick going "too high" even though nobody was chasing it. I have never watched a junior game where this rule was properly applied.

When you combine the removal of "no pressure kicks" rule with the removal of the 2-pass rule when kids hit u/13's, you end up with the quality/skills in u/13's actually going down. Most u/11 or u/12 teams move the ball pretty well, and end their sets with normal kicks. u/13's every set is 3 hit ups, 2 dummy half runs, and it ends with a bomb. Wingers on u/13's teams are largely ornamental - though once every 2 or 3 games they might get to touch the ball either by returning a bomb or by chasing one.

 

[Sparkles]

Attacker. Anecdotally I can support this. I had a few very painful moments from ankle taps as a teenager. Both ankle injuries and other injuries from high-speed collision with the dirt on short notice (ankle taps often catch you unaware).

Those rules seem like they're trying to cover any surprise attacks, where you can't really defend yourself. An ankle tap or push you're not expecting puts you totally out of kilter, and with the speed they move and size they are, that's a lot of person to twist, turn and bash uncoordinated into the ground or another person

 

[BurgoShark]

Those rules seem like they're trying to cover any surprise attacks, where you can't really defend yourself. An ankle tap or push you're not expecting puts you totally out of kilter, and with the speed they move and size they are, that's a lot of person to twist, turn and bash uncoordinated into the ground or another person

Yep. Agreed.

 

[HaroldBishop]

I'd like to see high fives banned during try celebrations, could easily take someone's eye out if you miss the target.

 

[bort]

I'd like to see high fives banned during try celebrations, could easily take someone's eye out if you miss the target.

To'o needs to keep on the ground, he jumped over their post try hug twice in two weeks not long ago

 

[apezza]

I'd like to see high fives banned during try celebrations, could easily take someone's eye out if you miss the target.

A high five by Aaron Woods would be fine

 

[HaroldBishop]

To'o needs to keep on the ground, he jumped over their post try hug twice in two weeks not long ago

That's quite an achievement for someone who's 3 feet tall.

 

[Sparkles]

I'd like to see high fives banned during try celebrations, could easily take someone's eye out if you miss the target.

I saw some players pointing fingers guns directly at other players as part of post try celebrations. That's three weeks in my book.

 

[Capital_Shark]

It's deemed a dangerous tackle. All of this is backed up by research, so my assumption is that there is a historical evidence of injuries from ankle taps. New Zealand bans it outright.

From the Australian Safeplay Code (All games in Australia up to and including u15): It is an infringement to ankle tap the ball-carrier. This is not to be confused with a defender who makes a genuine attempt to wrap his arms around the legs of the player.

From the NZRL Laws (all ages): Any defender who runs at a ball carrier and without attempting to tackle, grab or hold the ball carrier and notwithstanding use of the arms throws him/herself to make direct contact with the lower leg and ankle region of the ball carrier is guilty of a dangerous tackle.


***

The other rules for Australia up to u/15 are:

- As I said above, any contact above the armpits is high (but if the ball-carrier is falling/ducking it it permitted to contact the shoulder)
- No lifting (the rule specifically says that this does not include a good tackle that knocks the player of their feet, but most refs fudge this up)
- Legs can't be used to get the player to the ground (even if you have a hold of the player)
- You can't push the ball-carrier (it has to be a genuine attempt at tackle)
- Players can be removed from the game for foul or inappropriate language
- No dangerous palms (e.g. stiff arm palm to the face), no dangerous flops, no pushing in scrums
- Plus some really obvious ones like no crotch-holds or shoulder charges

The other big one for juniors is that for kids under 12 you can't do "pressure kicks", which means you can't do any kick that is designed to give your chasers time to arrive and pressure the receiver. 100% of refs have NFI with this rule. I've seen under 10's teams end every set with a cross field kick and not get penalised because it "wasn't high enough", I've seen under 9's do short kick offs and short drop outs, and I've seen teams send half a dozen players "downtown" to hover around the fullback and smash him as soon as he catches it. Ref says "not a bomb, so all good". On the flip side you see kids get penalised all the time for a kick going "too high" even though nobody was chasing it. I have never watched a junior game where this rule was properly applied.

When you combine the removal of "no pressure kicks" rule with the removal of the 2-pass rule when kids hit u/13's, you end up with the quality/skills in u/13's actually going down. Most u/11 or u/12 teams move the ball pretty well, and end their sets with normal kicks. u/13's every set is 3 hit ups, 2 dummy half runs, and it ends with a bomb. Wingers on u/13's teams are largely ornamental - though once every 2 or 3 games they might get to touch the ball either by returning a bomb or by chasing one.

Wow.

 

[Jenni]

I'd like to see high fives banned during try celebrations, could easily take someone's eye out if you miss the target.

I saw some players pointing fingers guns directly at other players as part of post try celebrations. That's three weeks in my book.

Have you seen the team celebration where Sterlo cops a beauty in the face?