The Rugby League Players Association is fronting up to the NRL to demand the league scrap all the 2026 rule changes that were made at the start of the season, including that set restarts – or “six agains” – can now be called from the 20-metre line for ruck breaches and offsides.
That change, in particular, has led to an 49% increase in “six agains” this year, from 5.9 on average in each match in 2025 up to 8.8 through the ongoing 2026 NRL campaign.
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Fears from among players are that “referees are having greater impact on results,” the Sydney Morning Herald reported today, and that the game is too high-octane, which is resulting in far more injuries from among players taking the field.
Eyebrows have also been raised by scorelines: Nearly 50 points are scored in every NRL game this season, and matches are decided by ~17-point margins these days.
In a survey by the RLPA, results showed 96.5% of the 57 polled players believed the match speed had increased or significantly increased from 2025; the set restarts were blamed as the core reason by the majority of responding players.
“It’s clear that the rule changes are having an impact, and what I will say is [ARL Commission chairman] Peter V’landys and [outgoing NRL chief executive] Andrew Abdo have always been willing to meet with the players,” RLPA chief Clint Newton said.
“We’ll keep trying to move the game forward and… coming up with solutions. Potentially, it’s just making adjustments back to give everyone what I think they know and love.
“I don’t think it can ever be forgotten that our fans are incredibly educated about the game.”
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“I think our game is easy to understand by comparison to rugby, AFL and different American codes, which is why we’re able to attract new markets,” he warned.
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“But, we’ve got to be very careful about not creating a situation where fans start to disengage because referees either get too involved or they actually don’t feel like they understand any more because there’s a lack of clarity on why decisions are made.
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“I think that’s a serious risk and one the broadcasters, especially, are mindful of.”
