NRL NRL Rules

[Ref]

Also, define what a play the ball is and what will be penalised. It’s not that hard surely? Stand up, plant the ball, use your foot to play the ball back.. and be consistent with the rulings on

You are bang on.
It’s my understanding that we will be making sure the foot makes contact with the ball.
It used to be a penalty for not getting your foot to the ball.
It is a staple of our game that must be pulled back into line.

Same as a knock on or forward pass.
It’s an offence with no discretion allowed.

 

[Matiunz]

Better ‘punishment’ for HIA would simply be if an illegal action causes a player to not be able to continue- the offending player is essentially benched then unable to come back on. What this does is the aggressing team doesn’t gain an advantage from the opposition losing a player to HIA, instead their bench is also negatively affected.
Like that milking is being stamped out with obstruction as it was frustrating seeing try’s being scrubbed out when the offending play had zero effect on the end result. Only problem is it becomes a grey interpretation now

 

[Makasene]

Am I right that an HIA ruling can be made by the team.

And, if they choose not to, the independent doctor can / will make the ruling for them? Or, if entirely missed by the team, the independent doctor can call for it?

If so, then you would need to take the HIA rulings completely out of the hands of the clubs. We would not even get to the end of Round 1 before it will be suggested that club A scrubbed their own player out for the rest of the game so that Club B would have their player sin binned