Rising concerns are emerging around the NRL's six-again rule, with Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart now warning the game may have “lost the fabric” of what makes it competitive, amid growing debate over whether increased speed is driving blowout scorelines and defensive fatigue.
Introduced to reduce stoppages and encourage attacking football, the rule is now under renewed scrutiny, with questions being raised about whether it is genuinely improving the spectacle or simply overloading defensive systems.
According to NRL data, there have been more tries scored from a tackle set starting with a six-again this season, rising to 22 per cent compared to 18 per cent last year.
The numbers also point to a significant spike in game restarts early in the 2026 season. There was a 35 per cent increase in set restarts in Round 1. The average set restarts in 2025 were (5.87), and in Round 1, 2025 was (4.63). That jumped to an average of 8.14 in Round 1 of the 2026 season.
The increase has fuelled ongoing debate around whether the faster tempo is enhancing attacking play or contributing to more lopsided results as defensive sides struggle to adjust.
Stuart had previously supported the intention behind the rule earlier in the year, backing efforts to speed the game up and reduce wrestling in the ruck.
"I want to eliminate wrestling, I want to have speed in the game, and if the six-again is the way to go, then that is the way to go. We've got to have that," he said.
"I don't think we want to see the wrestle and the ugliness on the ground. I think that's a blight on our game.
"Testing skill and testing defence regarding the speed of the game is probably what the fans want to see.
"I don't enjoy getting six against our team, but we're doing everything we can to have a cleaner ground and get the execution correct, so we're not giving it away.
"As a coach, as long as the referees are consistent with the six-agains and they are also coming down on high-profile players regarding six-agains, I'm comfortable with it."
However, Stuart has since sharpened his criticism of how the rule is being applied, arguing that inconsistencies are now undermining its purpose.
"I was a fan of the six-again, but I think we've lost the fabric of the game. The interpretation regarding six-agains is just given now willy-nilly," the Raiders coach said.
"There's no repercussions on the decision right at the time, where, for me, a six-again is something that you would have penalised.
"It's got to be penalty-worthy, and I don't believe it is at the moment, and that's why we're getting so much criticism.
"Making the game faster doesn't necessarily make it more attractive because the score line is 50-30. I don't believe that is more attractive."
As the season progresses, Stuart's evolving stance reflects a broader tension in the game between speed, spectacle and structure, with the six-again rule remaining firmly under the spotlight.
