There are a lot of RL people who are proud the game is tough and fast, but sometimes that can lead to calls for good footballing tactics to be driven out. The game needs to be careful about what is stopped or discouraged using rule changes.

Sticking more to the thread topic, as others have pointed out, if a team is being disadvantaged by their opponent kicking the ball dead, they should position players to prevent it. If the defending team does that, the team in possession might see an opportunity to run the ball.

As for 20m restarts, are the controlled ones enforced just to help the match officials? If I recall correctly, currently, you can have a quick restart if a player runs it back from out of play to the 20m line but not if they pass or kick it ahead to a player closer. I prefer to see the quick ones for obvious reasons and because I think it's a good balance to the kick dead tactic.

It's only as 'slow' a restart as your own team makes it. If your players make an effort to get back behind the twenty, your team can then play on. I don't see the problem really, as if you put it over the side line it's no quicker a restart yet that wouldn't be deemed a 'negative' play.

This.

If you don't want your team to have to turn around and run back behind the 20m line, stop the ball from going out!

Exactly it's a tactic of the game, some sides will deliberately target a winger with kicks or use short kicks to keep the ball in play or tire a particular player or whole team. best example of this was grand final 2004 when leeds kicked big les out off the game.. Some use the tactic to save energy knowing, they can defend a good set. Leave it alone its fine.
It's a valid tactic, plus it would stop sides attempting good grubbers in goal which often leads to a dry,drop out, or sometimes just runs dead.

i think its amusing that a saints fan is complaining about it, after getting beaten by a side using it.

Widnes did it to warrington, and hull did it both times they beat us this year, we didn't complain about it.

we also had to endure some saints fans crying about us having the audacity to use a drop goal and how briers was a boring for doing it as we were walking back to the car. the butt hurt was strong, and not a shred of humility about the amount of times long or goulding did it to us, it was ok when they were beating us.

However, rules is rules, sometimes teams click on a method to win and it works and its up to the other teams to try and combat having big off wingers (bradford), running like from dummy half(sintellins),the obstruct like and give it to Sam (wiggin) or passing the ball forwards(leeds).

If the defending team had "no chance" to stop kicks that benefited the attacking team then they weren't poor kicks were they?