Six Tackles: Super League should have Golden Try

A week last Friday, Huddersfield and Leeds hit each other with everything they could.

The final minutes were frantic, but the two sides could not be separated, and despite all their efforts, they both left with nothing more than a point and a handshake.

In the NRL they settle situations like this with Golden Point, but that system has its flaws, so if Super League was to take on a new concept, why not go with Golden Try?

We’ve put our heads together at Love Rugby League and come up with the following structure:

– If a game is tied after 80 minutes an extra time period of 10 minutes begins, with two players from each side leaving to make it 11v11

– The team to score the first try wins (penalty goals and drop-goals become redundant)

– If the game is still tied after 10 minutes of extra time, five minutes of Golden Point is played

– If the game is still tied after Golden Point (very unlikely) the game ends a draw

OK so it’s quite a bit to take in, but here are six reasons why we think it would work:

It would nearly always provide a winner

Does no one else thinks it is a bit pointless (no pun intended) that a match can finish a draw?

After a week of build-up and discussion, and then 80 minutes of blood and guts from the players, the end result is nobody wins. Surely that’s not right, and with Golden Try the chances of a draw are slimmed even further.

It would instill a winning mentality

Aussies are renowned for their will to win, and it is by no coincidence that they also have a system such as Golden Point for every match.

Top level sport is all about winning, and while I’m not going to throw in a Vince Lombardi quote, do you not agree that it would be better for our game if there was a win-at-all-costs attitude?

It would be fairer than Golden Point

With Golden Point, 80 minutes of hard work can be undone in seconds, simply by not starting extra time with possession of the ball.

To score (or stop) a try, skill and effort from the whole team is required – which has got to be the best way to decide a true winner.

It would stop drop-goal-athons

Similar to the previous point, Golden Try would help prevent extra time becoming a drop-goal shootout.

Rather than watch teams take five drives up the middle and hope for the best, Golden Try (especially with 11v11) should make for much more cleverly constructed attack and defence from both sides.

It would add drama

Whilst it could be argued that Golden Point is just as dramatic due to its sudden nature, Golden Try would make for much more improvised play.

Imagine Super League‘s best players being given the platform to go for broke against tired legs, and with plenty of space to do it in.

Attractive to sponsors

Increased drama and talking points, plus extra breaks for advertising – Golden Try, if it was done properly, is surely a sponsors dream!

Let us know what your opinion is on Golden Try: Facebook (/loverugbyleague), Twitter (@loverugbyleague)