According to Shaun McRae there is no momentum rule, heard him say it in commentary at the weekend, I would much sooner take his word for it than Stevo.

I agree that we (and the ref) should be getting alot more from the touch judges, some of the decisions they make/don't make, are just cringingly embarrassing.

To have a "momentum" rule would suggest that a player's mass has an effect on the direction of the ball whilst passed as momentum = mass x velocity. It doesn't.

However a player's forward motion (velocity) whilst carrying the ball does have an effect on the direction of the ball whilst passed which can make the ball appear to travel forward relative to the pitch markings even though it's clear at the point of release the player has passed it behind himself. Which is why the rule is relative to the player not the ground because otherwise you'd have a pretty static game.

The Notes to the RFL Operational rules do refer to "momentum". Strictly it might not be a "momentum rule" as such, but it seems valid to refer to that way?

10 KnockOn & Forward Pass


Deliberate 1. A player shall be penalised if he deliberately knocks on or passes forward.

Accidental 2. If, after knocking-on accidentally, the player knocking-on regains or kicks the ball before it touches the ground, a goal post, cross bar or an opponent, then play shall be allowed to proceed.
Otherwise play shall stop and a scrum shall be formed except after the fifth play-the-ball.

Charge-down 3. To charge-down a kick is permissible and is not a knock-on.

Heading the ball 4. It is illegal to head the ball in a forward direction.

NOTES


Direction of Pass 1. The direction of a pass is relative to the player making it and not to the actual path relative to the ground. A player running towards his opponents’ goal line may throw the ball towards a colleague who is behind him but because of the thrower’s own momentum the ball travels forward relative to the ground. This is not a forward pass as the thrower has not
passed the ball forward in relation to himself. This is particularly noticeable when a running player makes a high, lobbed pass.

I've argued this point for a couple of years now. It should be the constant velocity rule.

The rules for all SL games are exactly the same. Games with the VR just mean the rules will be under more scrutiny.
It's like saying that unless we have the same referee at each game, the rules will be different.


It gives the attacking team the exact same amount of time.


As will any human referee. However, the VR makes FAR FEWER cock-ups than a regular ref.


I'd rather the RFL work towards getting more to be honest, and stopping this moaning culture.


Have to agree with you there. I honestly can't see a difference other than maybe they're fitter.


No you wouldn't. You'd only need the ball to be recognised. The velocity of the ball in possession could be calculated without a player being tagged. The time of the pass would be identifiable with a change in velocity.
To calculate velocity, you'd only need to know the location of the try line. That's the direction of speed the rule applies to. Why would the players' locations matter?

Because if a player passes at full speed then the ball will always finish further forward than where he passed it from. However this is not a forward pass therefore the players location is vital or most passes at speed could be deemed forward.

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The players location isn't vital if you're measuring the velocity of the ball.

Example, Player A is running with the ball at 5m/s. He passes the ball, and the ball's velocity changes to 4m/s. We know then that the ball has been passed backwards in relation to the player (although it is still travelling forwards).

Player B runs with the ball at the same speed, passes and the velocity changes to 6m/s. It's 1m/s faster, therefore it's been propelled forwards.

At no point do you need to know the velocity and location of the player. You only need to know when he passed it, and that will usually be obvious when the ball suddenly changes velocity. If not, just cross reference with a video.

It's not as difficult as some people are trying to make it. Velocity of the ball is all that needs to be measured. It's just a case of finding the most accurate way to measure it.

How do you identify when the player and the ball part company?

Momentum, velocity, blah, blah.

Surely if player A passes the ball out of his hands at an angle that is passed 90 deg to his side, then its forward.

That would literally be 'forward', i.e. towards the opposition.