For the first time on Thursday night, the NRL will test a new kick-off rule when the Brisbane Broncos host the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium.
The change to the kick-off was proposed in the off-season leading into the 2026 campaign, with Peter V'landys and Wayne Bennett speaking highly of this change.
It has caused a lot of division among NRL fans about whether the game is keeping or changing its traditional aspects.
A version of the kick-off rule that the NRL wants to adopt is famously used in the NFL, just without a team having the option to choose between kicking off and receiving the ball.
In the NFL, the team that scores kicks off and gives the conceding team possession.
The Daily Telegraph reports that under the change, when an NRL team concedes any points, they can choose to kick off or receive the ball at the start of the next play.
The new kick-off being trialled is believed to address point swings in which one team has a significant amount of possession, increase unpredictability in a match, and reduce blowout scores.
Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski spoke to DT about the NRL using their game to experiment with a rule change.
“The NRL flagged earlier in the year that this might be something they would trial in games that won't have an impact on the finals series,” he said.
“We understand this is an opportunity. In the circumstances, we're comfortable that the NRL has decided to trial it in our game.”
In the pre-season, a meeting at Rugby League Central consisted of coaches from the top eight last season, as well as Wayne Bennett.
When the clubs became aware of the proposed change, Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy, speaking on behalf of the NRL clubs, pushed for the rule to be trialed in lower-grade matches before finalising the rule in NRL matches.
Donaghy expressed in the pre-season that the change would have a devastating impact on the game and create confusion for its fans.
It's not the first time the NRL has trialled rules in matches that don't have any bearing on the finals.
For the first time, the grand finalists from the previous season will be the guinea pigs to test a new rule during an NRL match.
In January, emails were leaked to the Telegraph explaining why clubs didn't like the kick-off rule change.
"Clubs are opposed to this proposed rule, as they believe this changes the fabric of the game in a way that may not be justified," an email from the Clubs Consultation Committee said.
One month later, the Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys revealed legitimate concerns were raised about the proposed kick-off rule change.
"The consultation process was thorough and constructive, and while there was initial support for the kick-off proposal, stakeholders raised legitimate concerns," he said.
The rule will is expected to also be trialled in Round 27 when the St George Illawarra Dragons play the Parramatta Eels.
