A radical solution has been proposed to curb the huge influx in sin bins which has seen the number rise astronomically over the past decade.
There have been 44 sin bins after seven rounds compared to 28 last year and 16 in 2021, while at this time of the 2014 season there had been just three.
The NRL has undoubtedly cracked down on high shots and more recently late hits, which has resulted in, on average, a player being binned in 78 per cent of games this season.
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Paul Crawley floated the idea on NRL 360 of binned players being allowed to return after a try has been scored.
“The problem I’ve got is the NRL know we are in the business of entertainment, they know we’ve got to have the best player on the field,”
“But when you’re watching sin bin after sin bin it gets to the point where you know the result and it ruins the spectacle.
“I think they’re going to have to have a look at it. Now you don’t want to let foul play in but do some of these sin bins really deserve 10 minutes?
“Or should we look we look at maybe letting a player return after a try is scored, or do you make it a five-minute sin bin.
“I just think at the moment a lot of the penalties are too harsh for the crime.”
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Paul Kent argued the onus was on the players to stay within the rules but Crawley doubled down.
“The referees shouldn’t be charged with trying to influence the result and keeping it fair or entertaining because that’s what suits us at home,” Kent said.
:I’m not charging the referees with it, I’m charging the governing body, the person who looks after the best interest of the game. It’s not in the best interest of the game at the moment,” Crawley said.
“You say that because players are not adhering to the rules, you can’t have acceptable penalties in the game,” Kent said.
“You can’t have penalties where a guy is willing to accept the punishment because the punishment has got to be less than what it benefits his team.
Wighton urged to make decision on future | 01:42
“The reason the 10-minute sin bin is such a tough period for teams is because they struggle to get through it, so that’s a deterrent to do the offence that gets them into trouble. We’re trying to get rid of all this stuff out of the game.
“For 10-15 years the game has been too soft on too many incidents and we’ve allowed it to go on.”
But Crawley wasn’t having it and said the current officiating is “ruining the game”.
“At the moment they’ve gone overboard, some of the stuff that guys are getting sin binned for is over the top,” he said.
“The Bunker can adjudicate if it’s a serious offence but some of these other things we’re seeing sin bins for at the moments, you just think it maybe warrants a penalty.”
Braith Anasta added: “There are a couple of sin bins where you just shake your head.”
Sharks skipper Dale Finucane was on NRL 360 and called for consistency in rulings.
“I think being consistent is the biggest thing,” Finucane said.
Walker ‘had to be dropped’ – Crawley | 01:29
Roosters enforcer Victor Radley has been the most sin binned player in the NRL era and he said the crack down has come with consequences.
“I can understand the ones where they do pass the ball and you completely smack them,” Radley said.
“We can’t be going to each press on the halfback thinking I cannot hit this bloke if he passes it.
“It used to be a badge of honour (for halves), because they’d take a hit for you.”
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