Former rugby league star Scott Sattler has suggested the NRL's new rule change for 2024 could bring with it more negative play.
The NRL announced last week that the game would move to play the balls rather than penalties for failed short dropouts or kickoffs, for both the ball going out on the full or not travelling ten metres.
It means the team kicking off will have more incentive to attempt the short restart without the risk of conceding a penalty, instead only conceding a play the ball to the opposition team ten metres in front of the kick and ten metres in from the sideline.
The NRL's head of football heralded the change as one that would add unpredictability to the game.
โWhile relatively minor, this change will add to the unpredictability of the game,โ Annesley said in the statement confirming the minor rule change for 2024.
โTeams will no longer risk conceding significant territory as well as a penalty for attempting to regain possession from restarts of play.
โWe undertook a thorough review of the 2023 season, including consultation with the NRL Clubs, the RLPA and other stakeholders, and while there was a strong desire to keep changes to a minimum, this minor change will incentivise short kick-offs and drop-outs.
โThis will strongly accompany the Commission's direction to enhance the existing rules, leading to a faster, more free-flowing and unpredictable game.โ
But speaking on SEN Radio, Sattler suggested the change may actually bring more negative rugby league with it.
โI don't like it, I think it's a negative play,โ Sattler said on SEN 1170 Sportsday.
โSome people will think it means we're going to see more attack and we possibly might see four points as opposed to two points.
โIf you're a good defensive side, like the Penrith Panthers, if they're ahead by twoโฆ they'll just try a short drop-out, if they get the ball back it's fine, if they don't because it goes over the dead ball line or doesn't go ten metres, they'll just defend for a long period of time.
โWhen you're on the try line you don't have to go back ten metres, you have to go back two or three metres, so you don't have to come up as far, I think it's quite a negative play.
โI know what they're trying to do, keep the ball in play more and (have) the possibility of four points but your really good defensive sides will defend that."
The change has seen mixed reactions from fans on social media, with some suggesting it will add to the sport, and others suggesting it will take away from the game in similar ways to Sattler's concern.
The new rule change will be first utilised in the All-Stars game and pre-season trial matches ahead of the competition itself starting in early March.
