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NRL news 2021: Fans, players react to historic blowouts, Manly vs Bulldogs, Canberra Raiders

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A historic day of blowouts in the NRL has once again put the heat on controversial rule changes, as players reveal whatтАЩs gone wrong.

NRL fans thought the tide had changed with two games on Friday being decided by one point but the carnage resumed as a series of blowouts brought the leagueтАЩs controversial rule changes into even sharper focus.

Manly thumped the Bulldogs 66-0, Gold Coast belted Canberra 44-6 and Newcastle ran riot against the Cowboys in a 38-0 hammering on Saturday, resulting in a 148-6 bloodbath across all three matches.

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The last time a single day of NRL action had such a huge gap between the winners and losers was all the way back in 2003.

ThatтАЩs in addition to Melbourne pumping the Roosters 46-0 on Thursday.

New rules introduced in 2020 and 2021 designed to speed the game up have certainly led to a frenetic pace тАФ but theyтАЩve been blamed for exacerbating the gulf between the best and worst teams in the competition.

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter VтАЩlandys was credited with saving the game last year during the pandemic but the blowtorch is being put on him for ushering through rule changes some believe have rendered rugby league unwatchable.

Set restarts for ruck infringements were extended to apply to players pinged for being offside this season, rather than resulting in the usual penalty, while scrums were replaced with play-the-balls whenever the ball goes over the sideline.

It means there are fewer stoppages, giving weaker teams fewer opportunities to catch their breath and reset their defensive structures, resulting in more points being scored.

VтАЩlandys has refused to accept blame for the increase in blowouts this season, saying the onus is on poor teams to manage their rosters better to become more competitive.

But not everyone sees it like that. NRL legend Johnathan Thurston believes the rule changes are directly linked to the massive winning margins weтАЩre seeing.

тАЬTeams are getting exposed. ThatтАЩs what the rule changes were designed to do тАФ score more points тАФ but with that, weтАЩre seeing a lot of blowout scores so itтАЩs a worrying trend for the NRL,тАЭ Thurston said.

тАЬItтАЩs not good for the fans going out there paying their hard-earned cash and seeing their teams get absolutely hammered each and every week.

тАЬI donтАЩt know how to stop this trend. ThatтАЩs what happens when the NRL makes changes to the rules and this is a consequence of it.тАЭ

Even players are upset with whatтАЩs happening. Melbourne and Queensland prop Christian Welch provided an insight into why the increased speed is causing more blowouts, revealing heтАЩs no fan of how the rule changes have transformed the game

тАЬItтАЩs just so hard to stay in games mate, you just canтАЩt stop the momentum you are that cooked. Teams just go end to end,тАЭ he tweeted on Sunday.

тАЬItтАЩs just a different game now mate. ThereтАЩs just no more tension/pressure/field position. The grind has been completely eliminated which I reckon sucks.

тАЬBit depressing isnтАЩt it тАж grind/pressure/field position battle have all evaporated.тАЭ

Plenty of punters have voiced their frustrations too. It was only a couple of weeks ago fans were blowing up after a series of one-sided games and it was a case of deja vu on Saturday.

Issac McIntrye tweeted: тАЬSomething very wrong with the new #NRL rules when every game seems to knock down another club record for biggest win, largest margins, biggest head-to-head, etc. Fri games were riveting. Thurs & Sat games been background noise.

тАЬNot so super Saturday that, interested to see how many neutrals would have flicked off early.тАЭ

Former Queensland cricketer Luke Feldman wrote: тАЬThese blowouts are terrible @NRL @FOXNRL this needs to be fixed and fast!тАЭ

Ex-NRL player Cameron King said: тАЬNRL is the best & toughest game in the world. There is no way a game should end 66-0 thatтАЩs not what the fans want. ThatтАЩs my opinion.тАЭ

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