Ricky Stuart now criticizes the NRL's six again rule, claiming it disrupts the game's integrity despite increasing scoring.
Ricky Stuart was initially a fan of the NRL's new six again interpretations, but the veteran Raiders coach says "we've lost the fabric of the game" as a result of the rule change, and that higher scores don't mean we're seeing a better product.
The NRL made a significant change in the off-season, allowing referees to award the attacking team a set restart rather than a traditional penalty for ruck infringements or offside calls from outside the 20-metre line.
The change has increased the pace of play and removed stoppages from the contest, but it's resulted in lopsided scores and some teams having 20 tackles in a row, leading to fatigue later in the game.
"I was a fan of the six again, but I think we've lost the fabric of the game," Stuart said, echoing the sentiments of several fans on social media.