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Important update on 1476AMReferees erred on disruptor, but the rule will stay
Scott Bailey, AAP •  April 12th, 2026 4:39 pm
The NRL has clarified what they want the interpretation to be around contestable kicks | Photo: Richard Wainwright/AAP
The NRL have admitted two controversial disruptor calls this weekend were wrong, but insist there is a good reason the rule is here to stay.
Head of football Graham Annesley confirmed on Sunday there would be no changes around disruptors, and clarified no ban existed on competing for kicks one handed.
Annesley has been largely kept silent in recent years, after his weekly briefings were scrapped by head office before last season.
But the veteran official confirmed on Sunday that Sydney Roosters centre Robert Toia and North Queensland fullback Scott Drinkwater should not have been penalised over the weekend in isolated errors.
Scott Drinkwater had a big game for the Cowboys against the Broncos and is back to his best | Photo: AAP
Drinkwater was ruled to have taken Josiah Karapani out in a kick contest on Friday night, before Brisbane scored in the next set.
Toia was then denied a try on Saturday over a contest with Sam Stonestreet, before Cronulla went downfield and scored.
"In both of those instances the NRL believes they were legitimate kick contests," Annesley told AAP.
"We felt that both players had an opportunity to contest the ball in both of those incidents.
"So we think that the bunker over-adjudicated."
The NRL's disruptor rule has come under heavy fire in recent days, including claims that when taken to the extreme it rewards "laughable errors" from catching players.
Contesting kicks is a big part of the game and Robert Toia isn't one to shy away from it | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
At its core, the rule is designed to stop kick chasers feigning a contest for the ball after a rise in players having a kamikaze-style run and jump at rival fullbacks and wingers.
"The alternative to not having the rule is basically open season, you can do whatever you want in a kick contest," Annesley said.
"And we'll see players being knocked over left, right and centre without any opportunity to try and contest the ball.
"It is an important principle of our game that when a ball's in the air, players from both sides have to be given the opportunity to try and receive it.
"That's the sole intention of this rule. A disruptor is essentially about obstruction. The rules are very clear. They have been that for 118 years.
"It's against the laws of the game to interfere with or obstruct a player who is not in possession of the ball."
Securing and defending cross-field kicks is often spectacular, but the NRL wants it to be fair | Photo: Mark Kolbe/AAP
Annesley said the main decision for match officials was whether there had been a fair contest for the ball.
Other indicators include whether players arrived for a kick contest at the same time, the line a player has run and if they are looking at the ball or their opposition.
But Annesley moved to clarify against a "misconception" players could not attempt to bat the ball back one handed.
"There is no blanket ban on one-handed knocking the ball back," Annesley said.
"What you can't do is come through at a high speed, jump in the air, swipe at the ball and take out a defender. That's not a contest.
"If you can get there and swipe at the ball and knock it backwards without making any contact with a defender, then that's perfectly OK."
