Paul Gallen slams 'ridiculous' nominated forwards rule experiment ahead of Round 20
NRL legend Paul Gallen has slammed the league's nominated forwards rule experimentation, saying it is akin to Under-6s football.
Under the league's proposed rule changes for Round 20, only nominated forwards will be allowed in the scrum.
The rule is one of four which will be trialled during two matches in the final round of the season, including use of the "six again" rule for 10m infringements, handover for kicks into touch rather than a scrum, and a change in bunker referral process.
While the NRL hopes that the rule changes result in a more free-flowing game, Gallen was not pleased with the nominated forwards rule.
Gallen suggested that the nominated forwards rule negates the natural advantage that the likes of Fifita have Getty
"Ridiculous. What are we playing, Under-6s?" he said on 2GB's Wide World of Sports Radio.
"Are we playing Under-6 and trying to look after the halfback and not having to tackle a front-rower?
"Seriously, if you've got a bloke like David Fifita, of course you're going to put him one-on-one with a halfback. Why wouldn't you?
"If you're 10 metres out from the scrum line and you've got David Fifita, and you've got a halfback, why wouldn't you put him one-on-one?
"We're not playing Under-6s trying to look after these blokes, that is ridiculous."
