NRL to consider radical kicking rule change

A proposed rule change could be trialled as early as next week, that would see teams receive a seven-tackle set if the opposition finds touch with a kick.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the NRL's innovation committee will meet early next week to consider the change, which is designed to speed up the game.

The Round 25 match between Canterbury and the Wests Tigers has been earmarked as a possible trial of the new rule, with the match unlikely to have any bearing on the finals.

Innovation committee chairman Wayne Pearce is behind the idea, which he says will improve the spectacle.

"At the moment, when a ball gets kicked into touch, there's a turnover and the team can have it in the middle of the field or wherever they want to have it," Pearce told the Herald.

"My view is that there's a difference between a player running into touch – whether it be trying to score a try or whatever – and a player deliberately kicking into touch to slow the play down.

"Sometimes players can't help going into touch or the ball getting passed into touch, but if the ball is deliberately kicked into touch, then there should be some sort of disincentive."

The change would not apply to 40-20 or 20-40 kicks, both of which reward the kicking team with the scrum feed.

But the idea has already been given the thumbs down by Melbourne prop Christian Welch.

"Please just leave our game alone," he tweeted.

"The tension, grind, pressure & game management almost already gone. Would love the commission for less gimmicking with the rules & more focus on bigger picture strategy."

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