The NRL’s Six Again Rule: A Game-Changing Controversy
The 2025 NRL finals series was widely regarded as one of the most thrilling in recent memory. The game was in great shape, with a balance between attack and defense that kept fans engaged and players challenged. However, on the eve of this season, the NRL made a significant change that has sparked debate across the league.
The new rule expands the territory in which repeat sets, or “six agains,” are awarded. This has significantly tilted the game further towards attacking play, bringing it closer to touch football. Defenders are often unable to retreat the required 10 meters, leading to another six again and a shift in momentum that can result in a try being scored.
While this rule may keep the tries coming and increase commercial breaks on TV—helping to boost the value of broadcasting rights during a crucial negotiation period—it also risks reducing the amount of actual rugby played. With more one-out runs up the middle against tired defenders, the game could become less strategic and more reliant on quick bursts of offense.
In the first two rounds of the 2026 season, there has been almost a doubling of six agains (9.8 per game compared to 5.5 in 2025). While a ruck infringement tally of four to six, along with a 10-meter defense breach count of one or two, might suggest a balanced game, the reality is that the distribution of six agains can be heavily skewed. If one team receives a six again on early tackles while the other gets it late in the count, it can create a significant difference in possession.
Commentators have downplayed the impact of these changes, but players are clearly affected. Parramatta’s Jonah Pezet and Melbourne’s Cameron Munster spoke about how six agains are “cooking” the defense and the lack of accountability for officials, who make rulings “on the run.” Cowboys captain Tom Dearden expressed frustration, saying, “We don’t know what it’s [the six again] for.”
Coaches, while cautious in their public comments, have voiced concerns about the new rule. North Queensland’s Todd Payten said, “It’s bringing fatigue into the game, and the game’s [already] fast enough.” Titans’ coach Josh Hannay supported referee Liam Kennedy after a loss to the Dolphins, noting that he was officiating the game “the way they [the NRL] wants it officiated.”
Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy, while avoiding direct references to referees, showed his frustration when his team had to defend for 15 consecutive tackles, conceding three tries. St George Illawarra’s Shane Flanagan refused to blame six agains for the Storm’s five second-half tries, instead citing “yardage errors” and kicks out on the full.
There is a solution to this growing divide between the NRL’s desire to speed up the game and the players’ and coaches’ concerns about the lack of accountability for six agains. Referees are currently miked for communication with the bunker, which announces generic messages like “ruck infringement” or “10 metres” to the crowd. Why not be more specific? For example, “Josh King holding down” or “Jack Howarth offside.”
If the bunker or the referee could communicate this information via a direct link to the PA and broadcasters, it would provide immediate feedback to offenders and coaches. When this suggestion was put to the NRL, the response was simply, “No comment.”
A cynic might argue that such a measure would make referees more accountable and slightly slow the game down, which is the opposite of what the NRL is aiming for. However, the current system leaves players and coaches in the dark, unsure of why certain decisions were made.
The Cowboys recently had a player sin-binned unexpectedly during an avalanche of six agains. Coach Payten noted that even with ref ears, the coaching box was guessing what the breach was. He suggested that if the match referee could nominate the number or name of the player and the infringement, it would help clarify the situation.
In the NFL, head referees communicate penalties to the crowd, but the American game stops for this to happen. Given the brevity of the message—such as “Holding, offense No.63. Ten-yard penalty from the previous spot”—the NFL referee must stop the action. However, the NRL could achieve the same result by having the referee only say a few words.
If the NRL wants to expand its reach to new markets, such as the US and the Middle East, it needs to address this issue. Forty years ago, it was easy to explain the rules of rugby league to an American visitor. Now, with the avalanche of six agains and unclear decisions, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to convey the game’s complexity.
Rugby League Central claims that its ball-in-play time delivers double the action of a rugby union game. However, the NRL’s six agains are making the codes similar in the sense that so much happens on the field that is neither seen nor understood.
