Quote: FlexWheeler "The problem is the wrestle was an innovation in tactics, it's not something you can really go back on. It would be like banning a kick to the corner. If you watch some clips of the 2004 season the tackling technique has completely changed. The kick back on the wrestle has been people moving off the mark into markers in front to try and facilitate a quick PTB or win a penalty, or people just diving to try and fake interference, and tangling the tackler up to prevent them moving away to win a penalty. Add that to the wrestle before hand and you are left with a very unattractive scruffy tackle/PTB situation.
All the ref's can really do is allow for less time once the attacker get's put to ground, but you know what that will mean don't you? Penaltyathon.
Either way, we f*cked.'"
I know what you mean but I think we can possibly do things that encourages defences to not wrestle as much. For instance the held call. Right now there is no incentive for a defence to hold a player up. There is incentive to hold him up for as long as possible and then get him to the ground. This is at least partly because if they do hold the ball carrier long enough for the ref to shout held then the defences get penalised with a very quick play the ball. If we controlled the held call and made it slower so that defences/markers weren't caught out by it then it may tempt defences to be not as keen on getting the ball carrier down.
I think we're all pretty much agreed on a 2nd ref which would help give instructions to the players and get defenders off quicker.
To help the attack I'd also move the point at which defences are allowed to move up. Right now it's at the point at which the ball carrier's foot touches the ball when he plays it (although in reality it's as he bends down to play it, defences are allowed up too quickly). I'd move it to when the acting half touches the ball. It should give attacks an extra bit of time and space.
