NRL considers head-related rule change after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves sparks debate

The NRL is considering taking action to reduce head injuries by changing kick-off rules - after an incident involving Hull Kingston Rovers' incoming prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves sparked debate.

Waerea-Hargreaves created a talking point while playing for Sydney Roosters earlier in April's Anzac Day clash, as Dragons centre Moses Suli was concussed in the opening seconds after a kick-off while trying to tackle the Rovers-bound prop, and took no further part in that contest. Zac Lomax had kicked the ball long for the Dragons and it reached the Roosters' Waerea-Hargreaves, who then collided with Suli, whose head made contact with the prop. At the time, Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson had predicted that the game was moving closer to a rule change, although he has spoken out against changing kick-off rules.

Now Australian media - Nine's Wide World World of Sports - has learned that a rule tweak being discussed would punish any team that starts play with a long kick-off that goes beyond the opposition's 20-metre line on the full by awarding a seven-tackle set. It follows a spate of head injuries from collisions as players returned the kick-off. It can be viewed as a relatively radical change as it would alter the way teams start matches and restart play after points, with kickers set to either attempt to regain the ball through a short or high kick, or boot the ball softer so it bounces before the 20-metre line.

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The Waerea-Hargreaves incident quickly led to kick-off debate among high-level figures, as the NRL's head of elite football Graham Annesley said the next day that collisions "are a big part of our game" but that long kick-offs were not immune from change. "Never say never about anything, because the game evolves, and the game is a different game now than what it was 20 years ago or 100 years ago," he said. "Player safety is a high priority for the [Australian Rugby League] Commission, it's a high priority for the administration."

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