LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The NRL has put the kibosh on any changes to kick-off rules for the upcoming 2025 season, delivering a firm tackle to the idea swirling around club boardrooms.
A recent article from Wide World of Sports hinted at potential adjustments, proposing that any kick-off sailing over 30 metres would award the receiving team a bonus seven-tackle set.
However, this suggestion was swiftly intercepted and shut down by league officials in response to widespread backlash from fans.
The push to revamp kick-off regulations came in the wake of a spike in player concussions during the tumultuous 2024 season, as athletes charged full-speed into defensive lines primed for collision.
One infamous incident that fueled the debate occurred on Anzac Day when St George Illawarra Dragons' center Moses Suli was knocked senseless in a brutal clash with the now-departed Sydney Roosters' forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.