For several years now, the current administration of the NRL has conducted annual reviews of the competition’s rules in an effort to evolve the game, making significant changes in recent years.
Once again, the league is considering multiple changes for implementation in 2026 — including one that has been part of rugby league since 1908: the kick-off.
In what would be one of the biggest rule changes in years, discussions are well underway around a proposal that would see the team who scores a try required to kick off to restart play from 2026, according to reports from the Sydney Morning Herald.
The proposal forms part of the NRL’s end-of-season review, with surveys being sent to clubs and fans to gather feedback on potential adjustments aimed at improving balance and entertainment across matches.
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Under the current system, the team that concedes a try restarts play by kicking off — often handing the scoring side another chance to build momentum through consecutive sets.
Supporters of the proposed change argue that the current system can lead to blowout scorelines, with teams struggling to wrestle back control once momentum swings against them.
If adopted, the scoring team would instead kick off — mirroring the system used in the NFL — in a move designed to create a fairer share of possession and promote closer contests.
The competition committee will examine the idea as part of a broader review, with data and feedback to be assessed before any recommendations are made for the 2026 season.
Should it be approved, the move would mark one of the most significant gameplay adjustments since the six-again rule was controversially introduced in 2021.
In other potential rule changes, the NRL is also reviewing how much time trainers spend on the field — a system that has drawn criticism for disrupting the flow of play and frustrating fans, particularly after several high-profile incidents involving trainers in 2025.
Further areas under review include ways to prevent players from staying down to milk penalties, clearer rules around aerial contests, and ensuring sin-bin or send-off decisions don’t unfairly decide matches.
The NRL’s ongoing appetite for rule changes has often divided fans, with many suggesting there’s little need to constantly tweak a game that is already thriving — and, by most measures, fine as it is.
It’s hard to argue against that, given the record attendance and viewership numbers achieved in 2025, following several seasons of significant rule adjustments.
Supporters of change — and the NRL itself — will point out that no major new rules were introduced this year, but critics argue that’s semantics, noting there were still interpretation adjustments around obstruction rulings and referee criteria.
With the competition committee set to expand this off-season, the NRL appears ready to take another bold look at the structure of the game heading into 2026, with reports suggesting a strong push for change is being made by the league.
While proposed updates around trainers and penalty milking are likely to be welcomed by most fans, there will undoubtedly be resistance from purists who see the traditional kick-off rule as part of the game’s DNA — a fabric of the game element that has existed since 1908.
It will also be interesting to see what feedback club representatives on the NRL’s committee provide, particularly with the kick-off proposal potentially disadvantaging dominant sides like the Storm and Panthers in recent years.
While the proposal remains at the discussion stage, a change to who kicks off could significantly alter the the game — and may prove a step too far for many fans, clubs, and players.