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Players wait and see on controversial new NRL rule
Scott Bailey & Jasper Bruce, AAP •  August 25th, 2026 6:08 pm
A mooted new NRL rule on kick offs will be trialled in a round 26 dead rubber | Photo: Darren Pateman/AAP
Senior NRL players are keeping an open mind about a controversial change to the kick-off rule before it undergoes its first trial in Melbourne's round-26 game against Brisbane.
The new rule would permit a team that has conceded a try to elect whether or not to receive the subsequent kick-off, rather than being forced to kick off.
During the pre-season, club feedback prompted the NRL to shelve plans for introducing the rule in 2026.
But the league has not given up on it for 2027, eyeing the Storm and Broncos' dead-rubber grand final rematch as its first testing ground.
The proposed kick off rule change has drawn a lukewarm response among several NRL players | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
"I'll be watching that game with a bit of interest, for sure," said South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker.
Souths coach Wayne Bennett had been among leading advocates to implement the rule for the 2026 season.
Bennett coached Brisbane to the premiership in 1997 when the Super League mandated teams kick off after scoring a try.
The change would follow the introduction of the set-restart rule, 20/40 kicks, two-point field goals and the captain's challenge as yet another new rule introduced this decade.
NSW State of Origin representative Reece Robson was unsure whether today's NRL needed to make the change.
"I'm kind of of the opinion, don't fix what isn't broken," the Sydney Roosters hooker said.
"But for me, I'm also open-minded to watch that and see how it goes in this trial on Thursday night."
Dragon Damien Cook doubts teams will elect to give up possession, given the choice | Photo: AAP
In an era of wild momentum swings, the rule would potentially stifle classic comebacks, given teams would not always have the chance to remain on the attack after points.
St George Illawarra co-captain Damien Cook suggested there was little prospect of a team ever choosing to voluntarily kick the ball back to an opponent that has just scored.
"I want the ball back in my hands. We want to stop their momentum," he said.
"We had (a game) last year where we almost ran in four tries in the last eight minutes and that would be able to stop it easily."
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