‘Maybe they’re protesting’: Bizarre NRL kick-off trial sparks debate as ‘flaw’ already found

The NRL’s experimental kick-off rule has already sparked plenty of debate after being tested for the first time in the clash between the Broncos and Melbourne Storm.

Under the proposed change, the team conceding a try would get the choice of whether to receive the kick-off or kick it themselves.

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As Luke Keary pointed out, there aren’t many situations where a team would actually choose to kick-off.

“The conceding team get a choice on whether they want to receive the kick or kick off,” Keary said on Fox League’s Thursday Night Football.

“There’s not many situations where you decide to kick off. (Maybe in the) last thirty seconds if they’re chasing.

“Maybe you kick it deep into the team’s territory where they can get nowhere near your line or if you’re down by one point you keep them out of field goal territory.

“I think you are receiving 98 per cent of the time.”

However, that wasn’t the case in the opening half of the match between the Broncos and Storm, with both sides opting to kick off rather than take possession on multiple occasions.

The unusual decisions left Fox League’s Jake Duke questioning whether either side was particularly thrilled about being involved in the rule trial.

“Maybe these two teams not happy to be playing in a rule-change game. Maybe they’re protesting, who knows?” Duke said.

Speaking pre-match, Storm coach Craig Bellamy also admitted he was yet to be convinced by the concept.

“It’s something that someone thinks might be a good idea,” Bellamy said.

“I’ve got to see something happen before I can picture it but I suppose both teams can’t make the finals so it’s the game to do it.”

Cooper Cronk also raised concerns about the impact the rule could have on late-game momentum, particularly when a team is attempting to mount a comeback.

“The argument against it is we wouldn’t have seen what Brisbane did in the run to the finals because they caught fire down 16 points, ten minutes to go,” Cronk said.

“What Penrith would’ve done was, I want to receive the ball.”

Commentator Andrew Voss, meanwhile, identified a potential flaw in the time of the decision the captain has to make, with the team required to communicate their choice immediately after a try rather than a conversion.

“I think there’s a flaw already,” Voss said.

“It’s our understanding after the try if scored you have to inform the referee what you’re doing not after the shot at goal.

“That could have a bearing of whether you want the ball back.”

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