NRL coaches Ricky Stuart and Trent Robinson have called on the NRL to simplify the rules and make life easier for referees.
The season has been plagued by officiating inconsistencies. While there were no howlers in Sunday’s pulsating match between the Sydney Roosters and Canberra, the coaches want change.
Roosters coach Robinson took issue with the new stripping rules, allowing tacklers to leave the contest so their teammate can perform a one-on-one strip – after losing possession like that three times against the Raiders.
Canberra coach Stuart believes the game is becoming too complicated and extra rules only add to the intense scrutiny the whistleblowers are already under.
“There are a number of rules in the game at the moment that is putting far too much pressure on the referees, and (strip) is one of them because, a lot of the time, they have to guess,” Stuart said.
“There are so many more rules in the game. We’re creating and putting too much pressure on the blokes in the middle. I feel sorry for them.
“We need to make it a little bit easier for them and not make it harder. We want to fasten the game up and get more football.
“The amount of stoppages in 80 minutes of football today is far greater than what it has been over the last couple of years.”
Robinson echoed Stuart and wanted to see the stripping rules binned.
“I mean, honestly, has that added to the spectacle of our game?,” Robinson said.
“And it’s got nothing to do with Canberra, the rule has come in and they’ve exploited it really well.
“But honestly, who pressure-tested this and said refs can you control the ruck plus adjudicate on split-second decisions with guys coming in and out?
“One-on-one tackles, when you’re one-on-one contact, that’s been in our game the whole time. But now you stand there, fight off three guys that are trying to screw you into the ground with everything you’ve got so you don’t get turned into a pretzel. And then everyone has their code to fall off the tackle and they strip the ball off you while you’re trying to not be … come on, honestly.”