LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Phil Gould, the Canterbury Bulldogs director of football and an NRL media commentator, has expressed his desire for significant changes to the administration of sin bins in the league.
Currently, sin bins are applied for professional fouls and various acts of foul play, including head-high tackles, hip drops, and crusher tackles. These penalties can frequently impact the outcomes of matches, as teams often capitalize on playing against only 12 players.
In a discussion on Twitter (formerly known as X), Gould was presented with the idea of changing the sin bin system to something resembling the power play system seen in the National Hockey League (NHL). In the NHL, a penalized player serves time in a 'penalty box' for a period that varies depending on the offense, but they are allowed to return immediately if the opposing team scores.
Gould concurred with this idea, noting that he has been advocating for such a change for two decades. "I've been saying that about the sin bin rule for 20 years…" Gould wrote.