A good start would be to get players to play the ball where they are tackled, not putting the ball over a prone defender, or to the side playing the markers offside.

It's not difficult and as said above, would only take a few weeks of penalties to make players adapt.

A very good point, as has been said the so called milking of penalties has got out of hand, would encouraging ex players to become referees solve this? I feel something must be done to clean up some aspects of the game. I would clamp down on tackled players moving forward off the mark once held is called. Also stop the going to ground quickly to get a fast play the ball! Call it what it is a voluntary tackle.

What a very complicated set of solutions to what is in fact a very simple problem; reset the rules around the tackle, and all the symptoms will go away - because they're all the response of frustrated coached and players to the mendacious practice of slowing down the ptb.

[iHAS TO[/i be brought in. The state of it currently makes the game anything between less watchable to unwatchable.

No wonder we're finding it hard to push our product. IT...IS...A...MESS!

Not bothered to be honest. I'd file it along with trainers on the pitch and wasting time at drops outs under the category of 'Minor issues some pedantic fans get disproportionately angry about'. We have miles bigger problems in the game both on and off the pitch, happy for them to leave this as is, just penalise the stand-outs as they do currently.

I can remember getting a kick on the knuckles while playing the ball, you did take more care than throwing it between your legs

Simple indeed

If you follow the letter of the law 80% of the ptb are illegal by the player/team in possession yet its always the defender who gets penalised. The whole law needs re-writing.

It's a bigger issue than you make out. It cheapens the game and makes it visually look shocking. The NRL looks professional, it looks high quality even when the games aren't great. Super League looks like a different sport. Players these days make as many metres after the tackle as they do before and climbing over the tackler to play the ball into him should just be reversed, it's the most blatant cheating and goes against the code of the sport.

This. The attacking team has big advantage to make quick PTB's while blatantly not making a genuine attempt to play the ball correctly.

Some of the PTB's you see are shocking

Some 99% are shocking time to make it penalty if not done right that would stop it

Some 99% are shocking time to make it penalty if not done right that would stop it

Infringements at the play the ball are entrenched in most of not all players in SL.

I think we all agree we need a change and to clean up this area. We must all accept that if the decision is made to make that change then we will have to put up with a massive number of penalties. I have a vague recollection of them trying to do it 5 or 6 years ago but gave up after a couple of weeks as there was a collective outcry that the penalties were ruining he game.

Hopefully people will give it time. Worked wonders in nrl

Correct