Rugby league legends Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler are calling on the NRL to reconsider its interpretation of a controversial rule that may overshadow the upcoming grand final rematch on Thursday. The conflict has sparked a war of words between Penrith coach Ivan Cleary and Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy, particularly over the tackled-in-the-air rule, which has recently led to several contentious penalty tries.
Both the Melbourne Storm and the Cronulla Sharks benefited from this rule during round 23, receiving penalty tries that drew significant criticism. Prior to 2020, only defenders were prohibited from tackling attacking players in the air when they were attempting to catch a kick. The rule was amended to grant protection to attacking players as well, meaning defenders cannot tackle an attacking player who jumps for a kicked ball until they land.
Last week, the Storm’s Harry Grant scored off a kick aimed at Xavier Coates, who was then controversially awarded a penalty try following an infringement by the Broncos defenders. While Bellamy maintains that the Storm is merely playing within the rules, both Johns and Fittler argue for a necessary change to the law.
Johns expressed confusion over the current enforcement of the rule, questioning how smaller players like Penrith’s Brian To’o are expected to defend against taller opponents without being penalised. He believes that referees require greater discretion in making calls during such critical moments.
Concerns have been raised by Cleary, who fears that To’o may fall victim to the same tactic leveraged by Coates. He recalled an incident during the State of Origin series where To’o was sin-binned for an unavoidable tackle on Coates to defend against a try.
Fittler concurred with Cleary’s assessment, suggesting that Melbourne has adeptly adapted to exploit the current rule interpretation. He emphasised the need for a shift in how the rules are enforced, stating that adjustments should be made before the finals to prevent ongoing issues. He labelled the existing application of the rule as flawed, arguing that it undermines the very safety it was intended to promote.
As the Penrith Panthers aim for their tenth consecutive win against the Storm, who they defeated in last year’s grand final, the stakes remain high. While the Storm seeks to reclaim the top spot on the NRL ladder with a win, discussions surrounding the rule’s interpretation are poised to unfold over the coming weeks. Fittler noted that recognising the detrimental impact of the current rule will be essential moving forward.