I think there's a strong argument for modification of the rules, and I thought I heard recently that many clubs had pitched to the NRL that the set restarts needed a re-think.
There are just too many one-sided scores for the comp. It's not just that Penrith are too good, it's that good teams are able to effectively shut out a match with a one-sided 20-minute period. For reasons not 100% clear, teams are not able to recover well from an early blow-out.
I believe 2026 recently became the highest average margin season, eclipsing the notorious 2021 season. Only 32% of matches have been decided by 10 pts or less (the previous lowest since 2020 was 54%).
And there may be right-sizing starting to occur where certain teams are more competitive with other non-Panthers contenders, but it's the yo-yoing of team form that also is hurting the comp. Cowboys are a prime example - beat Rabbits at home, beat Roosters away, hammered Sharks, whitewashed Dragons, beat Storm at home but were flogged by Tigers, Manly and Dolphins. Lost handily to Raiders who couldn't post a point against Roosters.
Don't forget, despite only being a trial, Tigers handled Panthers fairly well in the pre-season, so it can be done in other conditions.
