ARL announce sin bin rule changes

NRL referees will now be given the option to sin bin players for serious foul play - regardless of whether or not the opposition player can continue - under a new rule change to the NRL Laws and Interpretations.

ARL Chairman Peter Beattie told NRL.com the previous rules allowed for players to get away with foul play incidents that saw victims remain on the field, and said they were keen to crack down and give the referees more power

"No one wants to see players taken out of the game through acts of foul play," Beattie told NRL.com.

"Sometimes those acts do not warrant a send off – but they do deserve 10 minutes in the sin bin.

"Until now, the rules did not allow referees to use the sin bin for foul play unless the victim of foul play was forced to leave the field and was unlikely to take any further part of the game.

"So we have seen players commit acts of foul play, put on report but miss no game time.

"We don't think that is an adequate deterrent so, from Round 15 onwards, referees will be able to use the sin bin for foul play whether the victim has to leave the field or not."

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg believes the new sin bin rules could be used for a number of different incidents, like high tackles and shoulder charges.

"The sin bin could also be used for cheap late shots on playmakers who play such a key role in our game," Greenberg said.

"I stress that the sin bin will only be used for serious incidents and there will be no impact on tough, fair and legal play."