SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 15: NRL head of elite football operations Graham Annesley speaks during the 2019 State of Origin series launch at Bradfield Park on May 15, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The NRL's head of football for elite competitions Graham Annesley has suggested the competition will undertake a "fairly significant" review of the rules ahead of 2022.

In what has been one of the most lopsided competitions of all-time, rule changes have been widely blamed for the disparity between the top six teams on the ladder and the rest.

The six-again rule has seen teams struggle to keep up with the pace of the game at times, while other measures including a play the ball after the ball has been kicked into touch, the 20/40 rule and two-point field goals were introduced ahead of the 2021 season.

Annesley used his Monday footy briefing to explain a review into the rules has started, and research around the desires of fans would be taken into account.

"It is in the process of starting," Annesley said.

"We want to get feedback from all of our clubs, from our players, our officials, coaches, from the general public, so we'll be conducting some research with fans.

"This is all under the banner of the ARLC and their responsibility to review what's happened across the course of the season.

"Peter V'landys has gone very public, as has [NRL CEO] Andrew Abdo, to say that everything will be reviewed at the end of the year, so we've put a process in place to do that.

NRL Press Conference
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 03: Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys speaks to the media during a NRL press conference at Rugby League Central on September 03, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

"It's not going to be just an internal review - everyone will have the opportunity to have their say that is a stakeholder in the game."

Despite having more blowout scorelines this season than any other in recent memory, Annesley did say he didn't expect much to change though, with a "general view" that the game doesn't need major change.

"I think that there is a general view that the game doesn't need too much many more changes at this point," he said.

"We need to look at the impact the rule changes have had on the game and make an assessment about the benefit or detriment, depending on your point of view, that some of the changes may have made.

"Did they work as they were supposed to work? Generally speaking, I think our game again is in good shape."