NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett Copyright: Action Photos
Rugby league supercoach Wayne Bennett believes one of the three rules trialled in next month's All Stars clash should be introduced into the NRL as soon as possible.
Under the "six again" rule, which will be trialled at the annual clash between the NRL All Stars and Indigenous All Stars on February 4, differential penalties will result in an immediate call of six more tackles from the referee - a move which is expected to speed up the game and create more attacking possibilities.
Bennett, who is coaching the NRL All Stars team for the third time and has joined Newcastle for the 2012 season, says the rule has great potential and he would like to see it being implemented in the regular season in the near future.
"It won't happen this year, but I think it will be a rule the game will adopt in the future," he told reporters at the All Stars team announcement on Thursday.
"It's a great idea (because) it enhances the game.
"Our game is about the physicality of it and the intensity, and all of a sudden someone is getting six to go again from an infringement which might be as simple as being a little bit offside at marker or a hand on the ball.
"And all of a sudden rather than stopping the game and going for a kick the referee is going to signal six to go and you're going to have to defend another six.
"That's really going to put some pressure on."
Bennett said the rule had the potential to have an instant impact on the way the game was played - suggesting coaches would change their approach to defensive sets.
"I can tell you now, if it becomes a rule of the future, (coaches) will make sure players cut out a lot of those infringements that do spoil the game a little bit," he said.
"Because they won't tolerate having to do six in a row and another six maybe after that as well. That's going to kill your football team."
All Stars skipper Benji Marshall was also in favour of introducing the rule immediately.
"(It) is a great idea and maybe one they can stick in the game now," Marshall said.
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