Super League VI

The play-the-ball was to be more strictly refereed:

• Penalising those teams that attempt to delay or interfere with the tackled player.[2] Following a pre-season meeting with coaches the RFL's director of rugby, Greg McCallum, identified the following delaying tactics that would be monitored for:[2]
  • "Flopping" onto the player tackled or pushing them down in a "second effort".[2]
  • Straddling the tackled player.[2]
  • Pulling at the tackled player's leg as they get to their feet.[2]
  • Making contact with the ball in the tackled player's arms.[2]
  • Putting a hand on the shoulders or head of the tackled player.[2]
  • Deliberately knocking into ball-carriers at play-the-ball.[2]
• Team-mates of tackled players should not attempt to manhandle tacklers off the player in possession.[2]
• Attacking players must make at least an attempt to play the ball correctly with the foot.[2]
• Players "milking" penalties would be punished.[2]

• The Rugby Football League opted to retain their existing substitution system of six changes from four available substitutes but allowing unlimited use of the blood bin.[2] This put British rugby league at odds with international interchange rules and impacted preparation for international competitions.[2]

The Grand Final, played on October 13 at Old Trafford, was won by Bradford Bulls who defeated Wigan Warriors to become champions. This was legendary Australian centre Steve Renouf's last game of top-level football before retirement.