Mailbox: Penalise backchat and sort out the play the ball

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com

Dear James,

I’d like to see players penalised for backchat and complaining to the officials.

Only the captain should be able to speak to them.

If anyone is mouthing off, then send them back 10yards and keep sending them back until they learn.

The second change I would like to see is the correct playing of the ball with the sole or heel of the foot, if it’s not done correctly then the player should be penalised.

The current state of the “play the ball” and the ruck area is a mess and it looks really bad on TV.

If they have to “play the ball” correctly in the NRL, then what’s stopping our players from doing the same thing.

Elizabeth Clarke

Editor’s comment: The penalties for dissent are in place, and you do see these every now and again, though perhaps increasing them in frequency may deter backchat. Completely agree with the play the ball, especially as a quick play the ball makes such a difference in terms of the swing of play.

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com