21 man squad to face St Helens Sunday.

Quote: Phuzzy "Thanks again mate. Appalling that these rules are in force without them being available to the watching public. Is it any wonder referees get bagged when the RFL can't even be bothered to update their own rules! I despair at the incompetence in our game at times.

It's possible the other incident took place within the 10 metres too which brings up another problem with this rule. On the line I can (sort of) understand although it hasn't been a problem in the 100 plus years that the game has been in existence. That's a debate for another time though. The problem is that the game is effectively being played by different rules on 20% of the pitch than it is on the other 80%. That's simply bizarre. How is striking the ball on the 10 metre line any different than doing it on the 11 metre mark? Yet one is legal and the other not.

I genuinely think we've reached a point where the meddling in the rules has gone beyond reason. There are many I completely disagree with; sending a decision up to the video ref as try or no try, the whole ridiculous not allowing stripping of the ball with 2 in the tackle, then allowing it if the other players fall off, then not allowing again all in consecutive seasons and the ever changing interpretation of the obstruction rule season on season for example.i think it's time we decided on one set of rules, publish them and maybe even stick with them for more than 10 minutes at a time!'"

It's a lot easier to do it when defending your goalline because the man playing the ball isn't in your way if you are to one side with your foot on the goalline. Anywhere else on the pitch you would either have to be not square, or the hooker would have to pick the ball up very slowly, for you to do the same thing. It's inconsistent with other areas of the pitch, but it is a good rule IMO. Sometimes these rules change because one player works out a way around them, then everyone copies him. It was the same with the situation we had a few years ago when players worked out that playing the ball into the defender at the back of the ruck would gain them an offside penalty. Everyone started doing it so the rules had to be adjusted.

Other similar loopholes I think could come up in the next few years:

- If the ball hits the referee or a trainer then the team with territorial advantage (i.e the team nearest to their opponent's try line) get the turnover. Nothing to stop a team deliberately passing the ball into the ref to get a fresh set of 6 as it stands.

- High tackles are penalised even when the attacker is falling. Nothing to stop an attacker deliberately losing his feet last second to draw a high tackle penalty (apart from self preservation

)

- There is no rule against a team running over their own dead ball line. Teams with a narrow lead tend to grubber into touch with a minute left and defend the set. It would be far more effective in most situations to waste more time by running all the way back (even if it's 90 metres), dancing around for a bit until a defender gets near, then going over the dead ball line. The clock then continues to run down even more whilst the touch judges run back to the halfway. That could probably kill a minute or more, especially as defences won't react straight away whilst they haven't seen the tactic before. Hooter goes without the opposition getting their last set.

RLFANS.COM MERCHANDISE

RLFANS.COM SPONSORS & HELP