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.