What's happened to the 8 point try? It's years since I saw one given.

If you are "fouled whilst in the process of scoring a try", you are supposed to get a 2nd kick from in front of the posts, after the initial conversion.

Today Parramatta scored a try despite a Manly defender trying to kick the ball out of the scorer's hands as he touched down. That's a foul. And the Manly guy got a warning from the ref. But no '8 point try' awarded.

The 8 point try still exists and knocking around.

I havent seen the incident, but I'd guess the attempted kick was judged to of occurred before a try is scored. Hence advantage was (briefly) played and the try was awarded. Think about it - if the kick wasnt before the try was scored, then how would it stop a try? you cant kick back in time! It is still a foul as you correctly say, which is why a warning was issued, however since the incident occurred before the try, it would be either a try or penalty try (6 points), depending on whether the kick was successful in dislodging the ball.

Generally speaking, 8 point trys generally come from fighting after a try, or late challenges after the try is scored - its very rare its "in the process of" but the rules need to define purely the whole period covering from the ball being placed down until the kickoff.

Oxford had one awarded against them at home to Hunslet this season, after a defender went in knees first on the try scorer as he touched down. Hunslet got all 8 points.

That was the first time I had seen one awarded a few years as an irregular fan + 14 or 15 years as a season ticket holder at various clubs.

Bizarrely a few days earlier I'd seen a penalty goal awarded in ice hockey for the first time, after nearly 30 years of watching that sport.

Bradford got one on Sky a couple of years back, think it was jamie foster catching someone with the boot in the act of scoring

That's incorrect. You only get the additional attempt at goal if the offence is in "the act of scoring." Not for foul play afterwards or before the kick off as you say.

Jamie Foster gave one away in a Sky game at Bradford a few years ago when he was playing for Saints. Was Royce Simmons last game coaching Saints if i recall correctly.

Not necessarily incorrect more extending the truth - I have seen an 8 point try awarded to saints for a punch completely separate to the grounding (against Wakefield I think)! I was more trying to illustrate the difference between before (6 point try kick under the sticks) and after/simultaneous (8 point try) - the reality is the ball is dead as soon as it's grounded so technically a foul can't be committed after the ball is grounded

There seems to be a reluctance to give 8 point tries. I know they're fairly rare anyway but there are incidents where 8 point tries should be given but haven't been.

The most recent I can think of was the Wire v Leeds league game when Ablett kicked Monaghan as he scored. Should've been an 8 point try but wasn't given as that.

Did Sam Tomkins (I think) score a try whilst being knocked out in a Challange cup game once and was awarded an 8 point try? I seem to remember them saying how did he still have hold of the ball whilst being out of it.

No, it was just a try. The talking point was why it wasn't an eight pointer.

Yep correct my mistake. Just had a good look through the internet. The rules say if it's in the "act of grounding" it can be a 8 point try. Which in the Tomkins instant should of been awarded. Not sure I see it happen often tho that it's in the act of grounding. More afterwards or before.

That was at Bradford too. Gareth Raynor I think.

I reckon there's been more than you think with full backs and defenders having a habit of sliding in with knees into the tackle near the line and plenty of high tackles as a try is being scored.
And as I said there's the Ablett on Monaghan one and the Tomkins one a couple of years back that should've been given as 8 point tries.

The Eels one was strange - the judgement was that the kick was a foul, but the player re-gathered the ball and scored the try; the ref actually said to the offender, "if he'd have lost the ball, we'd be awarding a penalty try." That being the case, surely he was fouled in the act of scoring so should have received the penalty? The fact that the kick didn't achieve what it was intended to achieve is irrelevant.

In general terms, there does seem to be a reluctance to award an 8 point try - when in reality, players are often fouled in the act of scoring - most frequently these days by the Billy Slater/Sam Tomkins special move - sliding in knees first.

I think it's easy for the ref to just say I played advantage rather than follow the rules. Unless it's a serious incident like Raynor on Tomkins I personally wouldn't give one.

I'd give them more often than they are being currently. To dissuade careless tackles/acts on the try scorer.