The NRL will trial a new concussion rule that will see players sent to the sin bin up to 15 minutes after committing a high tackle that rules a rival player out of the game.
Ahead of pre-season trials that begin on Friday, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed a select group of coaches approached the NRL about tinkering with the concussion rules, although league officials will not implement change for the upcoming season.
Fans were left frustrated and confused at times last season by a perceived lack of consistency in imposing penalties on players guilty of high tackles.
There could be changes to the sin bin rule in coming seasons. Nine
Under the new proposal, the sin bin would only be used if the tackled player failed a head injury assessment.
The player will remain on the field until the HIA results are made known, The Herald reports.
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If the injured player is deemed not well enough to return to play, the game will be stopped and the offender will be sent for 10 minutes.
The NRL was contacted by the Herald but declined to comment on the proposals.
The NRL has stated during the off-season that referees plan to crack down on sloppy play-the-balls in the early rounds.
The obstruction rule will also be a point of emphasis, with referees told to reward good attacking play rather than poor defensive reads where a defender appears to be taken out.
