During last year’s COVID-19 interrupted season, the NRL was forced to renegotiate it’s broadcasting deals with partners Nine and Foxtel. Through the lengthy discussions, during which the broadcasters drove hard for a heavily discounted rate, the issue of declining ratings linked to a perceived dip in the entertainment value of the game continually arose. Peter V’landys, the then recently appointed lord of rugby league in Australia, a man better known for his work in horse racing, stepped up with a few ideas and a deal was struck.

Among several tweaks to the game was a return to one referee and a new power for that referee to wield, a “six again” call which could be made at any time the ruck was being infringed upon.

Through V’landy’s hard work the NRL was one of the first professional leagues in the world to return to the field following the pandemic shutdowns. It would ultimately lead to his canonisation, dubbed St Peter of V’landys, the man who saved rugby league from extinction.

The new rules had their critics early, but somehow everyone agreed that the game was faster and that faster was naturally better. Right?

Buoyed by the perceived success and perhaps emboldened by his lofty status in the sporting world, St Peter looked to expand on the changes for the 2021 season. Among several innovations, including scrum positioning changes, a ludicrous 2-point 40 metre field goal and turnovers for balls finding touch, was the insidious power to now call “six again” for 10 metre infringements as well.

The game has definitely become much quicker as a result, with referees completely controlling the flow and momentum by arbitrarily awarding teams set restart after set restart.

The stronger teams have become unbeatable, the weaker teams unable to even put in a gutsy effort or pull off the occasional upset. Fans are sick of it. If you support one of the weaker teams you don’t bother watching another 50+ flogging each week. Fans of the game, who love nothing more than cheering on an underdog, are left frustrated as well. The only happy fans are Storm fans, who are used to footy scores in the 60s and 70s.

The lesser teams are being pounded out of the game in the opening 20 minutes. They are struggling to contain their superior opponents and every time they look to give themselves a hope of stemming the onslaught the referees hand out another six tackles. The guttiest of battling teams, working with all their might, giving their all for their teammates, figuratively dying side by side in the defensive trenches are not able to hold out the better teams attacking for ten minutes straight. If by some chance they do, they are so physically drained that they’ll hit it up for five before kicking it back and steadying for another referee-ensured battering.

Added to this game changing rule tweak was the mid-season decision to crack down on high shots by sin-binning forceful contact with the head. Now teams can be down to 12 or 11 players as they struggle to contain their opponents.

Time after time we see the lesser teams battle against the continuous possession given to the favoured team only to finally crack and concede a try. They are left exhausted, all their efforts in vain. What they should be doing is preserving as much energy as they can, for use in attack and in defending later in the game.

Coaches of the struggling teams should be instructing their players to tackle everything that moves in the opponent’s half, but as soon as the opposition crosses halfway and receives a “six again” call, they should stand aside and let them score. They should regroup, reset their line, kick off deep and focus on pinning the superior team in their half, waiting for possession through a kick or an error. Once again if the opponent crosses halfway and receives a “six again” they should stand aside again.

The better teams are already running up 50+ scorelines against exhausted and frustrated weaker teams, who for the most part are not even able to trouble the scoreboard. This new tactic will at least give them some hope of having enough energy to create scoring opportunities of their own.

The ridiculous spectacle of players standing with their hands by their sides, allowing tries to be scored, might just prompt St Peter and his mates to reconsider the state of the game. Bring back the contest by refusing to contest.