NRL Repeat Set: Preseason 2.0
Ah, rugby league — what would we do without it?
Not a lot, so it turns out.
Out of Netflix series’ and classic Warriors matches, it’s about time we started getting back to normal on a Monday. Thus, the first Repeat Set (previously Set of Six at League Live) of the new-new NRL season.
Repeat Set
When we should be recreating the pre-season by talking team lists and tactics, it’s referees, rule changes and vaccinations.
Wake me up on May 28.
One referee is back (maybe)
If you wanted confirmation that May 28 is a lock for the competition restarting, here it is: Referee chat.
The conversation has already swung around to referees with Project Apollo recommending the NRL goes back to one referee, apparently to save a bit of cash.
There isn’t much point in arguing for or against one or two referees. A venn diagram of the biggest referee complainers and those passionately pro-one referee is a perfect circle. It’s a dead conversation from the start.
The biggest concern out of all of this is the puppet master pulling the strings.
A few things:
- Trent Robinson is a member of Project Apollo and didn’t know one referee was even a talking point at 4pm on Friday afternoon.
- He’s since said he “would keep two referees.”
- The Professional Rugby League Match Officials association were made aware of the recommendation 15 minutes before the story broke.
- Peter V’Landys is a big supporter of the game going back to one referee.
- Whatever V’Landys wants at the moment, he seems to get.
So, either Project Apollo talked about this significant change to the game for an hour while also going against the recommendations of Robinson to suggest to the ARLC they revert back to one referee.
Or, something else has happened…
You can put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Six again rule change
Project Apollo is also recommending a change to how ruck infringements are punished. The changes have been trialed before in the 2013 All-Stars Match:
There is potential in this change.
Referees are just as conscious of the flow of the game as players and fans; they don’t want to blow penalties if they don’t need to. If they’re given the option to wave six again rather than stop the game, referees might be more inclined to punish defending teams.
As a like-for-like penalty, this new rule devalues ruck penalties. Six again on your own 40-metre line is a worse outcome than six again on the opposition 30-metre line after you’ve kicked the ball to touch. However, would attacking teams end up benefiting if referees wave six again on the 50/50 decisions they’d otherwise have let slide?
The angle that is a little more difficult to be optimistic towards is how these new rulings will impact the already growing issue of penalties inside the 20.
What’s stopping a team from repeatedly infringing when they know giving up two points isn’t an issue?
How long before a team chasing victory in the final moments is awarded penalty after penalty, but can’t do anything with it other than play the ball when they would otherwise take the gift two points?
There are ways to work around this. Perhaps Project Apollo have a few ideas to be announced along with the official rule change if it’s pushed through? Until then, though, introducing this rule — particularly with games already played under the old rule this season — is a risk not worth taking as the game looks to limit the damage of the suspended season.
Going global
Removing a referee and changing rules will lead to a messy first few rounds. Teams are only just hearing about the possibility, and by the time the rules are confirmed, will have just two weeks to seek advice and make the necessary adjustments.
The major positive of getting the season back underway so early is the opportunity for global exposure — showing the world a product-in-progress isn’t a great way to attract fans.
Players had weeks to prepare for the Captain’s Challenge, and while it’s a teething issue long-term fans will sit through, the confusion between players and commentators over yet another new rule will come off as amateur to the curious sports-starved fan on May 28.
The K League reopened their season with a game on Twitter and YouTube while streaming rights to show their games were picked up by new broadcasters.
A massive 1.8 million people tuned into the Twitter stream to see Jeonbuk FC beat Suwon Bluewings. If the NRL can get their ducks in a row and muster the ambition to show the game to a new audience, this is an excellent opportunity.
Just imagine: The 2:30pm game is up on Twitter and YouTube. Sports crazy fans on the west coast of the U.S. are settling in for their Friday evening (9:30pm) and see the young Broncos going hammer and tongs with the defending premiers. If that doesn’t get a few new eyeballs on the game, nothing will.
Anti-Facts
To his credit, Peter V’Landys has done a great job in getting the game back on for May 28. Whether or not restarting a month or two early is worth the other changes he’s going to force through remains to be seen. However, he should be applauded for doing what he said he would in this case.
He’s worked his way through state and federal governments, medical experts, broadcasters, lawyers, and talking heads. Eventually winning the battle and inching closer to May 28.
But, and this is painfully rugby league-like, a small group of players against vaccinations are slowing things down at the pointy end of the battle. They’re drawing energy from worthwhile discussions on getting the game restarted and being given a platform to peddle dangerous ideas.
Start starving them of attention at the very least.
Please be entertaining, Warriors
They’re the darlings of the NRL at the moment.
They’ve made incredible sacrifices to ensure the competition restarts with all 16 teams and have managed to stay out of any controversies that have arisen over the last couple of months.
Now, they have a free pass on the footy field.
Nobody expects anything out of them in 2020. They have a ready-made excuse for winning their first ever wooden spoon, but also have an opportunity to play any way they like while searching for the winning formula.
It’s all going to focus on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck no matter which way they go.
*Shameless plug time*
Round 3 Watchlist
Enough with the off-field dramas. It’s doesn’t matter if we have one, two or 20 referees, it’s time to start looking ahead to Round 3.
It might not be easy viewing for the Wests Tigers faithful, but it’s going to be interesting to see how they come out of the break. Bullish on them playing finals football to start the season, Round 1 and 2 has reduced the hope somewhat.
They were poor.
Scoring 24 points both rounds flatters them.
Despite playing with 60% possession and being in possession of the ball for 36m48sec (second-most of the season so far) against the Dragons, the Tigers struggled for their 24 points. Although, Benji Marshall put in one of the prettiest grubbers you’ll ever see.
Managing another 24 points against the Knights, one try came from an interception and the other a lucky lost ball that fell into the hands of Billy Walters. In reality, they offered very little in good ball sets that didn’t come directly through Marshall.
The 42 points conceded is the bigger issue, still. Joey and Luciano Leilua had a week to forget and will surely be targeted in Round 3. Meanwhile, David Nofoaluma has set himself up for a peppering of high-balls after being dominated in the air by Edrick Lee.
The Tigers are trending upwards overall and have some promising players to develop. Playing finals football in 2020 remains an achievable goal. They’ll need to have cleaned up some of the obvious deficiencies during the suspension if they’re to get there, though.
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