i dont class holding down as a technical offence- i mean ones such as ones at the PTB - ie not playing the ball correctly - is that really foul play worthy of a points concession - differential pen at best

as for dropping goals from in your own half - of course there's a skill to kicking goals but leave the long distance stuff to RU please or we'll have more long distance penalty shoot outs such as the Leeds v Wigan cup tie a few weeks ago -

The top 8 has to go. It is simply not good for the game. Bring back the top 6, or even better top 5.

I heard McNamara say on tele before that 'the aim of Bradford at the beginning of the season was to make the top 8, i hope they can achieve it'

TOP 8! WHAT KIND OF AN ACHIEVEMENT IS THAT!

I aim to tie my shoelaces once per day!

defenders hitting the ball out of play with their hands behind the dead ball line - should have to play it
Dropping the ball is a knock on, doesn't matter if it goes front ways or back ways, catch / hold it properly.
Video ref gets 1 look from each available angle then has to make a decision. If you can't see something first time it's not there.
Agree with the stopping of the clock at the scrum rule as above.
As a Rhinos fan forward passes should be allowed

Interesting that a lot of posts are pushing the "fumble" option where if you drop the ball in any direction it's a scrum, turnover etc. dependent upon the tackle count

Considering this is THE handling code it surely has to make sense.

If you mistime a pass and the intended recipient overruns it and the ball goes behind him, you turn over possession. If you pop and offload out of tackle which bounces before it gets to its intended target, you turn over possession.

If you're trying to encourage handling and keeping the ball moving, why would you weight the risk/reward of doing so heavily towards risk? It will only increase five drives and a kick on the last as a gameplan, particularly in difficult conditions.

Spot on with that. This rule has been p1ssing me off all season.
also when another player from the attacking team joins in the tackle, shouldne mean held if the player is still moving.

( was just gonna correct that spelling, but it sounds good in a scotish accent)

I agree with the play of the ball the refs are picking up now, but half way through the season is a bit of a joke.

maybe the other one is when the ball is kicked over the deadball line, and its a restart on the 20 for the other team. maybe it should be a restart on the 30. Think Phil Clarke has mentioned that one.

Main one is, Leeds to be penalised for being Dirty Yorkshire B&stards

Also think touch judges should be docked wages when they miss forward passes.
They are absolutely crap most of the time these guys.

Definately the top '8'

Finishing 8th out of 14 is not really anything to be proud of.

I'd sooner see just the top 4 in the play offs and have it as 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd with the 2 winners meeting in the Grand final

Same in the NRL

Id go with top 6.

Not sure what to suggest for the scrum.

maybe the whistle should be blown, then at the same time the ball is fed into the scrum, and the other team can start to push in the scrum

Hmmmmmm

Coming 6th out of 14 isn't really that good either is it?

It's only one place above half way.

I'm going to have to stop agreeing with you Baz, it's ruining my reputation! Top 4 would be excellent.

Agreeing with Barry McKenzie, the Dalai Lama of Rugby League can only enhance ones standing, not only on these forums, but in life in general.

A cynical person would say it's only a top 8 thing so there are more games played to get more money out of the people that pay to go and watch it or the sponsors who sponsor the games either on matchday or on telly.


It just seems strange that a side that finishes in the lower half of the ladder at the end of the season could actually become the premiers.

I like the top 5 as it favoured the minor prems more than any other team by giving them a week off and no one else.

Not always an advantage.

More often than not NRL teams struggle when they are coming off the bye