Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has launched a fresh broadside at the NRL’s six-again rule, declaring the game has “lost its fabric” as frustration continues to build across the competition and with fans.
Stuart’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of the rule, particularly following its recent interpretation changes, which have further increased the frequency of set restarts and sped up the game.
“We’ve lost the fabric of the game. The interpretation regarding six-agains is just given now willy-nilly,” Stuart said to ABC Sport.
The veteran coach believes the rule has strayed too far from its original intent, arguing that many of the infringements being ruled six-again would previously have been penalties.
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“There’s no repercussions on the decision right at the time, where, for me, a six-again is something that you would have penalised,” Stuart said.
“It’s got to be a penalty, and I don’t believe it is at the moment, and that’s why we’re getting so much criticism.”
The six-again rule was initially introduced to speed up the game and reduce stoppages, but its expanded use — particularly between the 20 and 40-metre zones — has led to extended periods of possession and increased fatigue for defending teams.
That shift has had a visible impact on matches, with teams able to build relentless pressure and score in quick bursts, contributing to more high-scoring contests and blowout results.
“Making the game faster doesn’t necessarily make it more attractive because the scoreline is 50 to 30. I don’t believe that is more attractive,” Stuart said.
The Raiders have been one of the teams most affected, conceding heavily in recent rounds as they struggle to cope with repeat sets and the cumulative toll of defending under constant pressure.
But the concerns extend well beyond Canberra, with reports emerging that club officials have pushed for further discussions with the NRL over the direction of the rule and its impact on the game.
Fans have also voiced increasing frustration, with confusion around interpretations and consistency becoming a major talking point early in the season.
The pace of the modern game, driven in part by the six-again rule, has also been argued to have increased pressure on players’ bodies, with some questioning whether it has contributed to higher injury rates — with some statistics supporting that argument.
The original push that led to the implementation of the rule also has several flaws when assessed in hindsight after multiple seasons of use.
At the time, a six-again call was intended to simply replace what would otherwise have been a penalty, in order to avoid a stoppage.
It is clear to many observers of rugby league, however, that not every six-again would have been penalised, and critics argue the numbers now reflect that shift, with an increase in infringements overall.
Another striking statistic is the rate at which six-again calls directly result in tries during the next set.
Through six rounds of the NRL season, there have been more tries scored from a tackle set starting with a six-again (22 per cent, compared to 18 per cent last year), while tries from penalties have decreased (17 per cent this year, compared to 20 per cent last year).
Perhaps the most damning figure supporting critics is the early-season spike in infringements, with Round 1 figures in 2026 nearly double those recorded in Round 1 of 2025, and a steady overall increase compared to previous seasons before the six-again era.
As pressure mounts on the NRL to review the rule, the debate around six-again looms as one of the defining issues of the 2026 season, with players, coaches and fans increasingly united in their frustration.
That voice is growing louder by the week.
