Obstruction Rule 2019

[maxta]

Watched a bit of the NRLW comp in a decent game where Warriors ladies beat 2018 Premiers Roosters.

There was an incident where a Roosters centre made a diagonal run from 10m out that went behind 4 of her team mates.
1 actually made contact (without) going through the defensive line.
Went up stairs and the ruling was made that though there was contact she would not have been in a position to make the tackle, so a try was awarded based on common sense, which personally - I like.
Thing is, I seen plenty of tries in 2018 disallowed under similar conditions, then the following week a replicated try gets the green light.....this pi**es me off big time.
Either make it black and white that this will be a common sense ruling or a textbook ruling, because even the refs seem unsure and the bunker also seems inconsistent here.
Nearly done my TV in a few games last season, 1 in particular with Joel Thomson touching a defender 10m inside Kelly going through a train track hole and scored, but was called back in a match changing moment.
Seen it happen to plenty of teams both ways, but really hope they iron this out in 2019, as 50% of tries are scored off these sweeping movements with option runners in motion, so its a MUST to get it right from day 1 of the season.....

 

[MuzztheEagle]

This is probably middle age talking, but; When I was a kid I remember we how we used to joke about the complexity of the other football codes and there wern't that many arguments around obstructions, forward passes or strips. Today, it feels like the entire rugby league rule-book was written by lawyers and now can't even be understood by professional refs! As a game for kids to play I think it is now second only to the NFL for complexity and review b.s. I hate to think of the arguments that now go on between kids, parents and the officials at the grass roots level without the luxury of constant video replay intervention to ensure correct decisions are made (even though they often aren't).
For me, it has to be black and white, with rules simple enough that anyone can understand them. I can't stand the number of players that now hang around unpenalised in the defensive line because the play is on the other side. I am convinced there are teams that encourage this behavior and, regardless of whether it leads to a try, it will impact on a defensive players visibility and therefor defensive positioning. On the other side, if any player wants to constantly milk penalties and fall over when touched they can head to the bin, or better yet, F off to the A league.

 

[Chip and Chase]

They won't get it right from Day 1 so no point stressing about it.

Personally I hate the whole decoy runner tactics. Sending troops willy nilly into the opposition's defensive line has become a blight on our game

 

[MadMarcus]

The purpose of the obstruction rule is to obstruct the teams the NRL don’t want to win from climbing the ladder

 

[Tomay]

I quite liked when it was black and white and the video refs didn’t have to decide whether players could potentially have been in a position to make a tackle. I remember as a player, if someone inside is obstructed or taken from the line - it often affects your ability to stay out on your man or forces you to make the decision to cut in.