BY DAN

Yesterday NRL socials celebrated that it was two weeks until preseason games started. Huzzah footy is almost back. Only one problem remains.

What are the rules?

This summer’s footy discussion has been dominated by Peter V’Landys trying to force through rule changes around the kick-off, and expansion of the set-restart rule, that he framed as necessary to pursue to ensure the game’s popularity, with a hat tip to the upcoming broadcast deal. Just why creating an inferior product would suit these needs is unclear, but apparently Vlando’s the expert.

In our humble opinion, these changes are obviously bad ideas. Expanding the set-restart to cover 80 per cent of the field was a return to the bad old days of 2021, when the fatigue cratered the middle of defenses, leading to wider margins in games, and a less competitive season. They’d already been wound back in recognition. The kick-off rule was touted by some as ruining the fabric of the game. That’s more polite than I would describe it.

These were first mooted pre Christmas. They were then rejected by the clubs in mid January. Around 17 January there was reported to be a showdown with clubs, with V’Landys clear that he would still be pursuing the changes. Then nothing.

It is now the end of January. The NRL is celebrating there are two weeks until the first footy of the season. These changes may be taking effect. They may not be. Sit with that. It is a fortnight from games and we do not know what the rules of the competition are.

There are a few ways to read this. One is that Peter V’Landys was so comprehensively rejected by the clubs that he has given up on pursuing the changes. The reason we haven’t heard anything is perhaps because Vlando doesn’t like advertising his weakness, so he’s hoping we’ll get excited about the return of football and forget he ever brought them up. The esteemed leader of the game unaccountable for his venture into fantasy.

That is the best-case interpretation. Far out….

The next possible outcome is that the changes are coming, forget what the clubs think. This is more concerning. It would mean ignoring the key stakeholders in the game, pursuing single-minded change in a game better suited to democratic consensus. It would undermine the systems in place across the game to consider changes (like the competition committee), instead making it a ‘what Vlando says, goes’. It gives the impression that teams wouldn’t be able to plan for fear that Vlando would change his mind on a whim.

In this scenario we would be two weeks from the start of the season with clubs trying to integrate and strategise changes. You may say ‘they’ve actually had since Christmas’, which still wouldn’t be enough time (as they said when they rejected the changes the first time). But with changes still up in the air there is no way teams will have dedicated full resources to trying to war-game them – it would be a poor use of on-field training time that is better spent trying to build set moves, structures, and cohesion. But if Vlando jumps on now, it will create chaos in the dying days of a pre-season.

Whichever reason it is, it is not how a billion dollar entity should operate. Rule changes so significant should be built with consensus. When applied teams should be given plenty of forewarning – i.e. at least a full off-season including a recruitment cycle to tailor their rosters. Players should be able to take appropriate action both on the field (by dropping shit tons of weight to play the touch footy that Vlando and broadcasters love) and off (by being consulted on the major change to their livelihoods and their long-term health).

If those changes are being pursed, or not, the people responsible for them should be accountable for them happening (or not). They should be castigated by the fourth estate if they are unwilling or unable to do so. They should be reprimanded for treating a game with a 120-year history in such a cavalier way. It is astounding that this has been left to the guess work of people like me who, let’s be frank, are hard-up getting through 800 words without a typo or non-sequitur.

This is not acceptable. The changes, the process, the silence. They should not be left to chance. Rugby league will survive such maladministration. But it should not have to fight this battle.

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