The NRL has proposed making four huge alterations to the game in Australia in time for the 2026 season – which includes a potentially huge overhaul of how kick-offs work.
A leaked email which has been revealed by Code Sports has shown how the governing body Down Under are keen to speak with clubs and stakeholders about four changes to the laws of the game. If approved, they could be implemented in time for the season starting in Las Vegas in March.
The most notable and potentially significant to how the game is played is without doubt considering changing the laws surrounding kick-off. As it stands in both Super League and the NRL, the team who has just scored a try always receives the ball again in the following kick-off, with the team that has conceded kicking off.
But that could now change, with a drastic change potentially allowing the team that has just conceded to have the decision about whether to kick off or receive. It would be controversial, and a version of it was briefly introduced in Australia during the 1997 breakaway Super League competition when the scoring team had to kick off.
But in wider Australian Rugby League, the kick-off law has remained the same ever since play began in 1908: 117 years ago.
“(This) introduces a new tactical element to the game where the captain can decide whether possession or field possession is more important based on game circumstances,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said in explaining the change.
The idea of forcibly shorter kick-offs, or scrapping them altogether, has been floated in recent times, with the NRL weighing up all options following a rise in the number of head clashes when forwards take the first hit up of a set off the dead ball line.
The NRL has already seen rule changes around kick-offs in recent times, with teams encouraged into short kick-offs and drop outs by rules which mean they avoid a penalty when it goes wrong.
News Corp are reporting four key rule changes are being considered by the code.
Kick-offs
While kick-offs are expected to remain, it’s understood the team conceding a try will be given the right to decide whether to kick-off or receive the football in the following set.
Match day squads
Teams are set to be increased from 17 with an 18th man to 19. This will be done with interchanges to remain at eight.
Teams will have greater flexibility to determine their match day squads, and will be less reliant on injuries not causing havoc or ruining games.
Seven-tackle sets
Seven-tackle sets were initially brought in to penalise teams for kicking the ball dead, however, knock ons in the in goal have wound up having the same result.
This will be removed moving forward per the report, with players knocking on over the goal line in the act of scoring no longer giving away a tackle zero.
Six again
The six again rule is set to be expanded to allow teams to receive the go ahead set restart rather than a penalty when an offence is committed outside their own 20-metre zone.
Previously, this was the 40-metre line.
The NRL have not indicated rule changes are coming for 2026, but typically confirm the status of the rule book for the upcoming season in January, meaning an announcement should be imminent.
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