This is similar in rugby union where there is now a scrum back where the ball was kicked rather than a 20 metre drop out. This has certainly cut down on the "negative" kicking dead of the ball.

My only concern would be where someone has put in a really good, long, angled kick which seems to be heading for the touchline, but then takes a wicked bounce and instead the ball bounces over the dead ball line or touch in goal. I think it would be very harsh on the kicking team if the opposition were then allowed a tap penalty in your half.

Personally I like the 40/20. Its a skill and the more skills in rugby league the better because in my view its still far too much forwards dominated.

I suggest we only kicked 1 because we were very rarely on the back foot all season. We were also one of only two sides not to kick a drop goal all season, the other being Castleford.

While I appreciate the tone of the original post I think it does highlight a major flaw in our game and something we need to work on in the off season if we to continue moving forward.

finch will help but we need a much improved long kicking game next year it has been our major flaw for me this year.

I'd rather reward good defense. I'm all for encouraging good kicks but some of the rules in the game make it too easy for teams to gain yards without earning them

Judging by the lads practising before a game, Im glad weve not needed a drop goal

I don't like it. In the majority of cases the kicker isn't deliberately kicking it dead, but trying to stop it in the in-goal area. The different rewards between a ball that just stops in time and one that just trickles over is too great.

Fine as it is, IMO.

I think kicking out the back of the goal area is without doubt a deliberate ploy, it is one that I have been coached to do all my life by some coaches with s&l experience.

When the team is on the back foot teams often hoof it long, it is more of an issue in the nrl but it does go on here.

It's a very negative tactic and I would think a tap on the 30 or 40 would be more appropriate as a restart.

to me this shows that Wigan's forwards (and of course Superman) make so many yards that we are hardly ever in our own 40 late in the tackle count

I can only assume the rule is there for Cas anyway considering their pitch is near enough a square...

Though I don't remember any team getting a 40/20 against us. (maybe the loss to quins...) Perhaps coaches are trying not to use it due to the possibility of the ball going dead on the full.

I think it would encourage teams to go to the sidelines more often and with the state of scrums as it is i wouldnt want to see more, for that reason alone leave it as it is.

tbh i reckon only time teams use this ploy is when they are in trouble and kick early in tackle count , before wigners drop back.

this isnt a position weve found ourselves in much this season.......hence we take the option of kicking deep and getting the defence up to get territorial advantage deep in oppositions half.

as for tap from where balls kicked if it goes dead?
non starter........a rugby ball can bounce in any direction and a good kick could end up being penalised through a wicked bounce.
what would be an idea would be a tap where balls kicked from if it goes out on the full , as per direct into touch?..........or is that already the rule??

If it's kicked out on the full on the 6th tackle it is a "handover", ie a tap where the ball was kicked. If it's earlier in the tackle count, it is a scrum from where the ball was kicked - or 20 metres in.

Sorry, the above "rule" applies to ball going directly into touch.

If it goes straight dead without bouncing, I think it is a 20 metre tap - sometimes see this when "bombs" go too far.

Saints did at our place - Leon Pryce kicked it and they scored a try from the first set after the scrum, IIRC; certainly got them into a very favourable position, and at a key point in the match.

It's something I'd have liked to see us doing more, though I take the point that we probably didn't need to very often this season.