It seems the more things change in the NRL, the more they stay the same.
Ahead of the new season, the game’s governing body introduced a raft of rules changes aimed at improving player safety and arresting the dramatic increase in time wasting.
Those changes were there for all to see in Thursday’s season opener as South Sydney defeated the Sydney Roosters 28-8.
The now despised ‘cannonball’ tackle notched up the first penalty of the year from Roosters defenders in the Rabbitohs’ opening set of six.
Roosters back-rower Frank-Paul Nuuausala then tested the mechanics of the new concussion rule in the 28th minute when knocked over by rampaging Luke Burgess.
Nuuausala was ruled fit to return to the field before halftime in a tick of approval for the NRL’s stringent new measures.
In between the two tackles though, the referees again illustrated the depths of their fallibility.
In the 12th minute, Souths halfback Adam Reynolds brought down Roosters winger Daniel Tupou as he toed the ball ahead with the tryline open.
It was a professional foul that made Mitchell Aubusson’s penalty try effort on Manly captain Jamie Lyon in last year’s grand final tame by comparison.
Reynolds’ cynical challenge didn’t prevent a try being scored when Michael Jennings crossed under the posts for the season’s first four-pointer.
But the Rabbitohs’ playmaker wasn’t binned by referee Ben Cummins.
According to the whistleblower, Reynolds would have only been given a break if the Roosters had not scored.
By that reasoning, players should only be sanctioned if dramatic injuries occur.
With last year’s seven-tackle try very much at the front of mind and the start of last season clouded by the obstruction debacle, Cummins had every chance to stamp his, and every referee’s, authority on the season proper.
He didn’t.
The good thing for NRL head of football Todd Greenberg is that Cummins’ howler didn’t cost the Roosters the game as the premiers were comprehensively defeated.
But players, and coaches in particular, now have a reference for how low the bar has been set.
