Super League law changes: Golden-point extra-time and shot clocks confirmed for 2019

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Castleford celebrate a drop-goal in 2017Image source, SWPIX.COM
Image caption,

Castleford reached the Super League Grand Final in 2017 with an extra-time drop-goal from Luke Gale (second right)

Golden-point extra-time, shot clocks and a reduced number of interchanges are among the law changes confirmed by Super League for the 2019 season.

The 12 clubs announced the introduction of golden-point extra-time in November, with games level at full-time to be decided in two additional five-minute periods.

If it remains level after the extra 10 minutes, the match will end as a draw.

There will also be trials of the two-referee system used in Australia's NRL.

It will be tested in academy games in 2019, with a view to bringing it into Super League in the following year.

The shot clocks are being introduced in an attempt to speed up play and teams will be penalised if they take more than 35 seconds to form a scrum and more than 30 seconds to take a drop-out.

Teams can now only make eight interchanges in each game, having previously been allowed to make 10.

Super League chief executive Robert Elstone said the rule changes will make the competition "faster, more intense and more dramatic".

He added: "There's a growing frustration across sport with time-wasting, gamesmanship and a lack of transparency and integrity in time-keeping.

"We listened to our supporters and commentators, and the changes are focused on emphasising our sport's key attributes of intensity, relentlessness and integrity."

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