Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Fri Apr 21, 2023 1:51 pm  

The Game caller Twitter
I can’t get my head round the kick offs being taken on the opposition 40 line

Two law modifications will be trialled in the RFL Academy competition this summer, as part of the three-year research project across Rugby League led by Leeds Beckett University...
The following law modifications will be trialled over four rounds of the Academy season in June and July.

The legal tackle height will be reduced to below the armpit at initial contact

Kick-offs will now be taken from 10 metres further forward – on the opposition’s 40M line.

The impact of the trials will be evaluated, allowing a recommendation to be made to the RFL Board about the possible implementation of the law modifications across the sport.

The laws being trialled had the highest rating of importance (tackle height) and (kick off location).

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Fri Apr 21, 2023 3:40 pm  

Just been talking to the lad about this and he aint looking forward to trailing it.he thinks there be more penaltys and will dpoil the game.that said he weres (like all academy lads )a gum shield that counts the amount of head collisions/knock per game and hes been averaging in the 40s

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:23 pm  

The kick off one seems a bit pointless to me as players are still going to be near enough full speed at collision but with less chance to brace themselves. In fact a skilled kicker will probably just drop a high hanging short kick off style re-start closer to the line with the poor catcher more likely to get walloped by the tacklers.

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:29 pm  

Unfortunately legal action by past players as led to this.
RU already have something similar and to be honest it's a bit of a lottery with mitigating circumstances and other things taken into consideration.
More rules for refs to cope with as if they didn't have enough already

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:42 am  

If they're going to wrap us up in cotton wool, instead of a short kick off, just start on the 20m line with a 5 tackle set.

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:56 am  

Sacred Cow wrote:

The kick off one seems a bit pointless to me as players are still going to be near enough full speed at collision but with less chance to brace themselves. In fact a skilled kicker will probably just drop a high hanging short kick off style re-start closer to the line with the poor catcher more likely to get walloped by the tacklers.

Every kick off will be a short 10-15 meter kick off that’s challenged in the air. Why bother with long kicks. Even if you don’t get the ball the opposition will likely still be in their 20/30.

I actually don’t mind this as it gives the team who conceded a chance to retrieve the ball and be instantly on attack.

Not sure about the below arm pits for initial contact. Get ready for it to be inconsistently applied. Whos going to assess where the contact was at full speed? We already see some high shots missed or some given that aren’t but judging below the arm pit will be a big grey area. Especially with player skipping and adjusting their body into contact. Can see that being messy to police and apply.

Re: Law Modifications to be Trialled in Academy Games : Sun Apr 23, 2023 9:00 am  

lifelongfan wrote:

Unfortunately legal action by past players as led to this.
RU already have something similar and to be honest it's a bit of a lottery with mitigating circumstances and other things taken into consideration.
More rules for refs to cope with as if they didn't have enough already

The refs already struggle to cope as it is so i agree it’s just adding onto them more pressure and more decisions on their interpretation. There’s already backchat and player challenging refs for decisions which are incorrect in games (some challenges justified as mistakes are made). But it makes the game look amateur. There’ll be a lot more appealing on the pitch with the ref having to judge a line around arm pit level.