WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
The Greatest Game of All is enjoying another day hogging the back pages, and today, the biggest talking point is the new rule changes.
Following a good couple of weeks of Anti-Vax chat, the NRL has tentatively moved on to changing the rules ahead of the May 28 resumption, a move that has caused a bit of a stir.
The game has decided to cut down the two on-field referees to one and grant six-again tackle count restarts for ruck penalties rather than stopping play for penalties that slow the game down.
That decision just a fortnight out from the game’s resumption is making headlines after the Referees body has decided to go to the Fair Work Commission over the loss of jobs, and the game is now facing a bit of pressure from the clubs themselves.
One club in particular, the Melbourne Storm has reportedly contacted the NRL asking for BOTH on-field referees to cut for any games they are involved in.
“The Storm believe that they have a perfectly suitable on-field referee in Cameron Smith who is capable of running the show on both the hooking and whistle-blowing fronts,” explained an NRL insider this afternoon.
“Cameron has agreed in principle to take up the slack, and believes it could be more efficient to have him steer the ship without having to confer with the other on-field referees.”
The NRL has yet to publicly comment on the Storm’s wishes, but it’s believed the other clubs will be furious is Smith is given free rein.
More to come.
