Time wasting forces NRL's hand

[Jethro]

Endemic time wasting which robbed the game of more than 400 minutes of action last year forced the NRL to make crucial rule changes this season, the game's governing body has revealed.

The NRL has implemented a number of rule changes ahead of the start of the new season next week, including reducing the amount of scrums and limiting the times at which captains can question referee's decisions.

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[Jethro]

Endemic time wasting which robbed the game of more than 400 minutes of action last year forced the NRL to make crucial rule changes this season, the game's governing body has revealed.

The NRL has implemented a number of rule changes ahead of the start of the new season next week, including reducing the amount of scrums and limiting the times at which captains can question referee's decisions.

The tinkering has copped criticism from some as change for change's sake.

But NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg revealed on Thursday fans were robbed of an average two minutes per game of action or 'ball in play' time per game in 2013 on the year before.

That adds up to an incredible 404 minutes or more than five games of action that fans were denied by time wasting tactics.

"What we have done is to try to find some small measures to continue ball in play," Greenberg said.

"It's not about making the game faster, we are happy with the speed of the game.

"It is about more ball in play time.

"To provide fans what they want to watch which is an ongoing innovative product.

"We want to continue to make the game the best spectacle it can be.

"We spoke to a lot of people about these rule changes, every club, the RLPA , state leagues, all of the coaches, a number of players, broadcasters and we analysed a lot of data."

According to NRL data, time with the ball spent in the field of play per game in 2013 averaged 50 minutes and 14 seconds.

That was down a whopping two minutes and three seconds from the season's before average of 52 minutes and 17 seconds per game.

In 2011, that average was 52 minutes 25 seconds per game. In 2010, it was 53 minutes and 10 seconds.

Greenberg said it was necessary to halt an alarming trend.

"If we didn't make these changes it could have resulted in more time wasted," he said.

"One of the great strengths of rugby league is its ability to innovate.

"We want the game to continue to thrive and I think that is what will happen as a result of these changes."


James MacSmith

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/time-wasting-forces-nrls-hand-20140227-33m47.html

 

[master blaster]

Endemic time wasting which robbed the game of more than 400 minutes of action last year forced the NRL to make crucial rule changes this season, the game's governing body has revealed.

The NRL has implemented a number of rule changes ahead of the start of the new season next week, including reducing the amount of scrums and limiting the times at which captains can question referee's decisions.

Read More

his pet puppy Ennis is not gunner like this,Hollywood harrigan reckoned he was by far the worst for it

 

[Brissie Kid]

Biggest time wasting is caused by referees calling for a scrum when none was needed. Anyone going to reform that?

In Charity Shield on tv I saw a Souths player strip the ball backwards from a Dragons player, the ball was picked up by another Souths player who was then tackled. The referee blew his whistle and ordered a scrum with a Souths feed, saying Souths got no advantage from the stripping! What? It was Souths that deliberately stripped the ball. Souths having the ball is the advantage. There was no need for the scrum and for the people watching to be robbed of another 45 seconds of play via a pointless scrum.

The NRL fixing up problems is a myth.

We all know that NRL referees call up most drop balls whether forwards, backwards, sideways whatever as a knock on and then a scrum. Fix that up NRL and then we will believe you are trying to stop time wasting.

 

[Daddycool08]

With around 18,000 minutes of footy played each season the NRL are worried about 400 minuted being wasted. (26 rounds * 8 games * 26 weeks plus playoffs and SOH).

If they can spend that much time scrutinising the matches for time wasting why can't the NRL scrutinise the matches for foul play and bad refereeing decisions?

Overall the time-wasting of 400 minutes represents a little over 2% of total footy time.

 

[Pablo]

So 1.6 minutes wasted per game.....

Unacceptable.