This was a no-try last year. In 2025, the video ref will hit the green button

The days of defenders “milking penalties” or being rewarded for poor defensive reads are over after the NRL tweaked the way the obstruction rule is interpreted for the new season.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley wrote to all the clubs on Tuesday alerting them to how key aspects of on-field play will be policed in 2025.

The obstruction call against Penrith that had coach Ivan Cleary up in arms. Credit: Nine

The main areas of focus will be better compliance regarding correct play-the-balls, ensuring defensive lines are back the requisite 10 metres and this masthead’s revelations about how head office will attempt to be more consistent when it comes to sin binnings for high tackles.

However, the most significant change to the way the game will be adjudicated applies to obstructions, with the NRL seeking “to achieve a better balance between rewarding the tactical use of lead-runners to deceive the defence, and ensuring defensive structures are afforded a fair opportunity to adjust, while also minimising the incentive for defenders to ‘game’ or ‘play for’ obstruction penalties”.

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