The NRL's apparent backtrack these past weeks is clear proof they know they got it wrong.
Earlier this season, the numbers told the story. Set restarts had increased by around 63 per cent compared with the same period last year, while traditional penalties had fallen by eight per cent.
The NRL’s decision to extend the six-again zone between the defending team’s 20 and 40-metre lines only accelerated the trend, with some rounds averaging more than eight set restarts per game, compared with roughly five a year earlier.
The impact was impossible to ignore.
Defensive lines were being asked to survive wave after wave of repeat attacks. Middle forwards barely had time to catch their breath before another tackle count began. Fatigue set in, defensive structures broke down and attacking teams capitalised.
The result? More tries, more points and, often, bigger winning margins.
Research has shown matches featuring higher numbers of six-again calls generally produce larger total scores than games with fewer restarts. That’s hardly surprising.
Every repeat set gives an attacking side another opportunity to pressure a retreating defence without surrendering possession.
Momentum snowballs, fatigue compounds and what begins as one ruck infringement can quickly become a 10-minute siege on the try line.
But over the past month, something has felt different.
While there hasn’t been definitive evidence of a league-wide directive, there has been a noticeable reduction in six-again calls during recent rounds. Whether it’s referees finding a better balance, players adapting their ruck discipline or simply a natural correction, the product has benefited.
The football has remained fast, but it has become more of a contest.
Defence once again feels like it matters. Teams are earning momentum through disciplined sets, strong kick chases and winning the field-position battle, rather than relying on a string of repeat possessions.
The arm wrestle - that uniquely rugby league quality that separates the great sides from the good ones - has quietly returned.
That’s what has always made this game special.
A traditional penalty wasn’t simply punishment for an infringement. It acted as a circuit breaker. It gave exhausted defenders a chance to reset, allowed captains to make tactical decisions and ensured momentum still had to be earned.
Six-agains removed that pause, often turning one minor indiscretion into multiple consecutive attacking sets and leaving defenders with little hope of recovering.
Nobody wants to return to the stop-start football of years gone by, where penalty counts dominated the headlines. But the evidence suggests there is a middle ground.
The recent style of officiating has retained the speed fans enjoy while restoring the balance that rugby league has always thrived on. Attack is still rewarded, but defence once again has an opportunity to fight back.
For a game built on toughness, resilience and winning the battle in the middle, that’s a welcome development.
Sometimes the best rugby league isn’t played at breakneck speed. Sometimes it’s won through patience, discipline and grit.
That’s the version of the game worth protecting.
Matt Attard is a freelance rugby league writer, disability support worker and host of the Pack Mentality podcast. A lifelong Bulldogs supporter, he is passionate about telling the stories behind the game, from grassroots to the NRL, while championing mental health and the people who make rugby league special. You can read all of his content here and contact him on LinkedIn.
