2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 3:46 pm  

Super League is set to scrap the ‘free play’ ahead of the 2019 season but will introduce golden point, according to League Weekly.
It’s said that both changes were agreed during last week’s Super League board meeting. Whilst CEO Robert Elstone has been unable to increase the number of referees per game to two like in the NRL, several alterations will come into play.

The introduction of the Golden Point is a major move and something the NRL have used since their 2003 campaign.
Super League’s aim is to make games more interesting and therefore if contests are level after 80 minutes, there will be two five-minute periods of golden point extra-time with the first team to score winning. If there is no score after the full ten minutes, the match will end as a draw.
As well as the introduction of Golden Point, a shot clock for scrums, drop-outs and conversions will arrive.
Teams will have 35 seconds to feed a scrum and 30 seconds to take a drop-out, while conversions will need to be taken within 100 seconds. Failure to abide by the scrum and drop-out shot-clock rules will result in a penalty, with the conversion related issue leading to an off-field punishment by way of a fine.

But perhaps one of the most significant moves will be the number of interchanges dropping from ten to eight, something which has already been heavily reported previously.

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 4:44 pm  

So are these for all divisions? Not just SL?

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:18 pm  

My Mate Ronnie wrote:

Super League is set to scrap the ‘free play’ ahead of the 2019 season but will introduce golden point, according to League Weekly.
It’s said that both changes were agreed during last week’s Super League board meeting. Whilst CEO Robert Elstone has been unable to increase the number of referees per game to two like in the NRL, several alterations will come into play.

The introduction of the Golden Point is a major move and something the NRL have used since their 2003 campaign.
Super League’s aim is to make games more interesting and therefore if contests are level after 80 minutes, there will be two five-minute periods of golden point extra-time with the first team to score winning. If there is no score after the full ten minutes, the match will end as a draw.
As well as the introduction of Golden Point, a shot clock for scrums, drop-outs and conversions will arrive.
Teams will have 35 seconds to feed a scrum and 30 seconds to take a drop-out, while conversions will need to be taken within 100 seconds. Failure to abide by the scrum and drop-out shot-clock rules will result in a penalty, with the conversion related issue leading to an off-field punishment by way of a fine.

But perhaps one of the most significant moves will be the number of interchanges dropping from ten to eight, something which has already been heavily reported previously.

Reducing interchanges more has been needed for a while.

Removing free play will take out some controversy where sometimes it happens, sometimes a ref blows early and doesn't.

But.....

The shot clock thing introduces worse controversy. Drop out is fine (unless the receiving team is offside and messing about) but scrums can be so subjective as to who is messing about. Conversions - what about a ball falling off the tee etc on a gusty day? Are we still stopping the clock on all this. As I stated - it introduces more controversy with it all being so subjective.

Golden point - OK but we don't need it. We should be proud to be different in the UK. A draw for equally matched teams is a fair result. We will start to see more kick and clap drop goal attempts, and golden points are more often won by the team that receives the ball first.

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:52 pm  

Any fan consultation on this? After all, we're the mugs who pay to suffer of some of the more game-spoiling issues they haven't addressed.

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:53 pm  

Fewer interchanges may see the end of a few of the larger individuals or are the game opening up in the last quarter. I do not like the golden point as it adds little other than ten minutes of drop goal practice. I would have preferred extra points for tries scored as has been trailed in the lower leagues or anything that rewards attacking rugby.

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 6:11 pm  

Nowt about not cleaning the ruck up?!

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:04 pm  

Back to steedan balls as well I heard .

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:13 pm  

My Mate Ronnie wrote:

Back to steedan balls as well I heard .

Lets hope so.

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 8:28 pm  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

Lets hope so.

Players were not happy with the Rhino ball .

Re: 2019 Rule Changes : Mon Nov 19, 2018 9:03 pm  

Don't like golden point one bit. Nothing wrong with a hard earnt point to two teams that have given their all.