The RFL have approved two new rule changes for the 2026 Super League season, that will see the game hopefully become quicker, and have less delays.
The amendments were originally revealed by the current head of match official’s Phil Bentham, on a recent podcast with Super League Raw.
The proposed changes have now been confirmed, after a laws meeting took place on October 29.
First, the game’s governing body have announced that there will be a 60-second shot clock that will be applied to conversion attempts, as to stop players from taking too long in order to either run the clock down or catch more of a breather.
Currently, players have 80 seconds to take the kick, then the clock will be stopped. This will change to 60 seconds, with the timer starting from once the try has been confirmed.
The ball must be kicked in that minute-long period, or the chance at two points will be taken away.
The other new rule will see a change to the video referee system.
Currently, referees on-field will give a ‘live call’ of try or no try to the video referee if they are not 100% that the try has been scored.
In 2026, in the instance that the live decision would be no try, the process stays the same as it was in 2025.
However, if the live decision would have been ‘try’, the on-field referee will now award the score regardless, and will be checked by the video ref behind the scenes, as to allow for a quicker period between the ball being grounded and the conversion being taken.
This system is used in the NRL, and if the video referee confirms the try, play continues as normal, and they will only intervene if there is a decision that needs to be overturned, i.e. they have seen a knock-on on the replay that the on-field referee may have missed.
If the video ref finds the on-field decision of ‘try’ is incorrect, the referee will overturn the decision, and the game clock will be reset to the point in time that the referee blew the whistle to award the try.
The conversion attempt cannot be taken until the video referee confirms the try, and the new shot clock won’t begin until the on-field official gets told the score is awarded.
The rulings will only come into play when there is both a video referee and timekeeper present at the game, meaning the changes will not be enforced in the Championship and the majority of Women’s Super League matches.
John Dalton
November 27, 2025 at 5:38 pm
Totally agree.
The wait, while a team all has a “breather” is ridiculous. Whilst watching this on TV the time spent is boring, with endless replays (far too many). Awarding a try has also got to improve, again a time thing. If the officials get the odd few wrong – then fair enough.
Another moan from me – can we stop the commentators from telling us that the players are tired! These are professional athlete’s, of whom, some of them cannot last 80 minutes? I appreciate that big players (based on size & weight) need replacing, but the rest of the team…..
I need to stop shouting at the TV “Bring on the beds – they’re tired out” ……….
John
November 27, 2025 at 10:14 pm
Stop me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this simply mean a try on the field video ref time will not stop the clock? So could still have the players standing around for 5 minutes while the video ref examines in minutiae from 200 different angles what was obvious on the first video replay, so the players stand about and don’t have to play the extra minutes at the end of the half – unless the video ref rules no try and the clock is reset to when the ref originally asked for the review. And this is an improvement – how??
What was needed was a maximum time set on the review and if the video ref hasn’t found COMPELLING EVIDENCE to overturn the on-field decision (whether try or no try) in that time, the on-field decision stands. I would have thought a period of 90 seconds would be more than adequate.
And to John Dalton’s second moan above. Fully agree. Virtually every game the commentators point out the number of players who “still aren’t behind the play the ball” and must be tired. It’s standard energy saving practice. Most teams are going to start a set deep in their own half with two or three one out carries so there’s no point the whole team charging back to stand around waiting for play three or four.
John
November 27, 2025 at 10:22 pm
Maybe it’s the explanation which is garbled? It really is suggesting play will continue after a try is awarded, but if the conversion attempt cannot be taken until the try has been confirmed, how is play going to continue?
Do the non-scoring team kick off and then if the try is awarded, we stop play until the conversion attempt?
Utter nonsense.