At the Magic Weekend I saw someone try a short kick-off towards the touchline. The ball bounced after it travelled about 7 metres forward but eventually made the ten and the kicker was penalised. On another occasion, the kicker tried a short one forward at the kick-off and the ball went bouncing a number of times like a grubber over the ten but the kicker was not penalised.
What's the difference? Is it a new rule?

I thought that was a disgraceful decision. I'm not aware of a rule that says it has to go 10m on the full, nor a time limit within which it has to go 10m. Forget which game it was now.

Poor decision to give a penalty, doesn't have to go 10 on the full, and time up is surely based on either the ball stops moving (which it hadn't) or a player picks it up (which no one did).

If you watch the Hull game, when we got the penalty for it, it was because it bounced and (im guessing) the ref' did not believe it was going to make the ten, so he had already started running to give the penalty.
The other one mentioned had clear momentum going forward for the ref not to think he would need to give the penalty.

Clearly shows that the ref favored Quins IMO.

Clearly..
The penalty count showed this at the end of the match aswell.

He only blew after the ball had gone 10 metres.
Within the past month I also saw the same decision given when another kick-off bounced the 10 metres.
It didn't make sense at the time and it still doesn't make sense. Maybe a ref who reads these posts can help.

I stand to be corrected, but my understanding was that because several Hull players were in front of the ball when it first hit the ground, before it actually made 10m, they were offside? I don't think the laws are absolutely clear on this scenario, but until it's gone 10m the ball is not yet in play, so by being in front of it they are offside at the kick off.

So the ref wasnt in the process of running to the half way line to give the penalty?
As I was under the impression he was before the ball crossed the 10m line.
Anyway, the poster above me seems to give a good analysis on why it was given anyway.

You are wrong

Didn't Kevin Sinfield re-start for Leeds by grubbing the ball forward into the 10metre area ?

- Certainly the ball travelled along the ground within the ten

- The ball travelled the full ten metres before being touched / picked up

Play on ....

Why is he?

offside is checked at the time the ball is kicked, but dont ask a saints fan because they dont understand that

The ref blew too early simples. There is nothing in the laws that say the ball can't bounce before going 10, it just needs to travel the 10m. As was said above, offside it checked as the ball is kicked no problems with players being in front of the ball after that.