The NRL is in “a much better place” regarding safety and interpretations of foul play because of the crackdown enforced in last year’s Magic Round, Graham Annesley says.
One year on from the controversial 2021 Magic Round, in which 14 sin-bins and three send-offs were called, the NRL’s head of football on Monday praised the impact of the crackdown.
Zero send-offs and only six sin-bins were imposed during this year’s Magic Round, but Annesley rejected the notion that meant the NRL had softened in its stance.
He instead pointed to the health of the game.
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“We reached a tipping point just before Magic Round (last year). It certainly wasn’t planned for Magic Round, but we had reached a tipping point where we had to take some action against some of the high tackles we were seeing in the game,” Annesley said.
“I think what we’ve seen over the course of the last 12 months is a period of adjustment by players. We’ve seen a period of adjustment by referees and the match review committee, as well.
“I think we’re in a much better place now. We’re picking up the incidents that need to be picked up, we’re not seeing overreactions for incidents that (are) simply accidental or incidental and I think we’re in a much better place consistently across the game.
“Now, that’s not to say that we won’t still have some outliers where there’ll be some judgement that will be brought into question by the match review committee or the Bunker or the referees, but I think that it was an adjustment the game had to go through.”
Annesley pointed out that, largely, defenders had learned to only grab a kicker or even veer off instead of following through with “a full-blooded tackle”.
A major goal of the NRL’s crackdown was to provide greater safety for the small and crafty players – like Adam Reynolds, Luke Keary and Jahrome Hughes – not only due to their size but the fact they are often airborne when kicking.
“(The crackdown) probably would have been better if it had been timed differently, but we’re seeing the benefits now,” Annesley said, admitting it did mar one of the marquee rounds of the competition last season.
“I know that the (ARL) commission and everyone in the management at the NRL have a very strong view that we need to continue to keep pressure, downward pressure, on careless, reckless tackles… we want to make sure that we are eliminating as much as possible the opportunity for players to approach tackles in a careless or reckless way.
“I think that we are on a better trajectory this year than we were last, and I think that the actions that were taken over the second half of last year (have led to a) much better position for the game and a much safer environment for the players.”
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