Footy guru Phil Gould reveals the most ridiculous rule in the NRL: ‘Our game is so stupid’
- NRL has changed the rules regarding short kick-offs
- Now there are calls to ban kickoffs to minimize concussions
- Gould has gone nuclear because of the rule changes
NRL guru Phil Gould is nuclear over proposed rule changes at kick-off and called on top brass to listen to coaches and players rather than doctors and lawyers.
Gould is outraged by calls to ban the kick return in an effort to reduce concussions in the game.
That conversation reached a fever pitch on Anzac Day when St George Illawarra center Moses Suli was knocked out when his head struck the elbow and head of Hanen prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Former rugby league player and respected doctor Nathan Gibbs has said that the easiest way to prevent these collisions is to ban the kick return, while a host of journalists also agree that the idea is a worthwhile one.
Gould has questioned why players and coaches are not being consulted and why so many new rules are popping up in the NRL
However, former players have blown up over the suggestion, with former Bulldogs and Dragons skipper James Graham saying: ‘If you want the game [completely] safe, you’re playing the wrong game’ on NRL360.
Gould is now pleading with the NRL to listen to coaches and players and stop tearing at the fabric of the game with constant rule changes.
“There is no alternative, leave the game alone,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“We’re tearing it up. It’s really frustrating to see our game being torn apart by everyone except the coaches and the players. It just drives me crazy. Doctors, lawyers and fans on social media, that’s all they listen to. They don’t listen to players.’
He pointed to the recent rule change where teams no longer give away a penalty for attempting a short lunge and failing because the game has become so crazy.
“Our game is so stupid,” he said.
‘You can lose the ball over the line scoring a try and you get a 20-metre penalty and seven tackles… why? I don’t know, because it’s stupid.
‘But I can just cause a line to fail and if it fails completely or doesn’t go 10 meters, there are no consequences, no consequences at all. What kind of stupid game is this? Who sits and makes up these rules?
‘Try the Api Koroisau. What the hell was that? We are so stupid with our rules… our game is stupid.”
Raiders fans were left frustrated by the new short kick-off rules after their tough loss to Cronulla
Gould posted his rant to social media platform X, where his followers agreed with his views and provided other examples.
‘The same thing happened with [New Zealand Warrior] Roger’s [Tuivasa-Sheck] try it on the weekend,” one follower posted.
“I only called it a knock-on because it had slowed down to the point where it looks like a knock-on, but when you see it at normal speed it’s as normal as any other pickup.”
“Good for you, Phil, for calling out this stupidity,” wrote veteran journalist Ray Gatt.
“The NRL has been a reactive organization for too long. Reply to this to that to everything! The game becomes unrecognizable.’
Another fan said the leg lift penalty was another reactive move by the NRL.
“Add that new leg lift penalty personally too. I understand that you have to punish it when it becomes dangerous, but just lifting the leg is not worth punishing. Common sense is lacking at the moment.’