THE NRL on Sunday announced sweeping rule changes designed by some of rugby league's sharpest thinkers, including an edict that will virtually outlaw the dangerous cannon ball and crusher tackles.

In a five-month long project designed to ramp up the NRL's entertainment factor and improve player safety, the changes will hopefully promote a more free-flowing style of play.

More than 11,000 NRL fans and members were consulted on the rule adjustments, with NRL head of football Todd Greenberg visiting all 16 clubs to debate the new laws.

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RULE CHANGES

Zero tackle from 20m restart: The first tackle after a 20m optional kick will be called a zero tackle. The rule change provides an extra tackle to discourage tactical kicks and negative play when the ball is kicked dead to slow down the game and deny wingers and fullbacks the chance to return kicks.

40/20 restarts: The team that performs a 40/20 kick will restart play with a tap kick 20m in from the touch at the point it crossed the line instead of at a scrum.

Restarts from kicks out on the full: A handover will be awarded when the ball is kicked out on the full on any tackle.

INTERPRETATION CHANGES

Stop the clock: During the last five minutes of a match, the clock will stop following a conversion or penalty kick at goal until play restarts at halfway.

The interpretation change will add excitement during close matches, provide consistency across matches and reduce potential time-wasting.

Quick taps: A quick penalty restart will be permitted on any infringement except 10m penalties, where the referee issues a caution or within 10m of the opposition goal line. The interpretation change encourages more continuous play.

Captain communication: Captains will only be able to speak to referees during a stoppage in play (tries, injury break or when referee is issuing a caution). Penalties and scrums are not considered stoppages of play. Captains will be given an opportunity to speak to the referees as players leave the field for half-time.

Goal-kicking time limit: The referee will call time-off at approximately 1min 20sec following the scoring of a try. Fines will still apply to clubs when a player takes longer than 1min 40sec to take a conversion.

PLAYER SAFETY

Cannonball tackles: When a player is being held in an upright position by two defenders, any additional tackler must make initial contact to the player in possession above the knee. In addition, referees will be instructed to call held earlier on upright tackles to deter unnecessary third-man tackles.

Crusher tackles: The Match Review Committee will be directed to charge crusher tackles at the higher end of the scale to provide a greater deterrent.

JUDICIARY

Match review panel: NRL Match Review Committee member Michael Buettner will become the Match Review Co-ordinator in 2014, replacing the retired Greg McCallum. Former Eels, Raiders, Titans and Bulldogs player Michael Hodgson will join the Match Review Committee panel.

The ARL Commission has also approved the continued trial of the Captain's Challenge concept in televised Holden Cup matches.

The committee that helped devise the key changes comprised of super coach Wayne Bennett, premiership-winning coach Trent Robinson, independent commission member and Balmain legend Wayne Pearce, Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens and retired stars Darren Lockyer and Andrew Ryan.

"In previous years at the NRL we've made decisions pretty quickly but this has been five months in the process," Greenberg said. "We've worked really hard with the competition committee and with some of the most pre-eminent minds in the game to bring together some concepts and ideas in order to make the product itself better.

"We've then gone around and pressure tested that with every club and their coaches in order to get feedback and this is the end result. It highlights that we're looking to be innovative and we're looking to give fans and members the opportunity to continue to make rugby league the best it can be, both live and on television.

"We're also very conscious that along the way we have to be very careful not to disturb the fabric of the game. So what we've done here is maintain what rugby league is but also keep evolving and innovating.

"That's one of the absolute advantages of our sport."

The interpretations and rules around the dangerous cannon ball and crusher tackles have been tightened, meaning players and teams who employ these tactics run the risk of a crackdown from the referees and the NRL judiciary.

"What you'll see in those two tackles that we're coming down strongly on, the cannonball and the crusher, is that the health, welfare and safety of the players is at the forefront of every decision," Greenberg said.

"There were some tackles last year that we were just simply not happy with. We need to come down strongly on players who attack opponents when they're in defenceless positions.

"So when a player is standing there with two defenders on him, he's effectively defenceless. If someone comes in and attacks him below the knees that is going to warrant significant penalty and so it should."

Quick taps from penalties will also be permitted - except for 10m penalties, where the referee is issuing a caution or within 10m of the opposition goal-line.

Sydney Roosters coach Robinson welcomed the rule change stopping captains from approaching referees on a regular basis.

It is a move which is primarily a time-wasting exercise.

"Hopefully it will help deliver the fans what they're looking for, which from all the feedback was more time in play and more attacking advantages," Robinson said.

"The ones who are probably most conservative with it can be the people who are coaching it.

"Because we've coached a certain style for a while, these changes might put in question some of our methods.

"I think the fans will enjoy not seeing those cannon ball style tackles and it means some clubs will have to change their tactics quite significantly there.

"But it will be a good thing safety-wise for our game. In terms of the ball being in play more, I think everyone wants to see just a little bit more footy provided the players are OK.

"I hope the fans enjoy the changes. It was an interesting process for me being my first one. To go and try to take your club hat off and think about what's right for the game and not for your team.

"That's why it was great to listen to Wayne Bennett. He's obviously done it many times and he definitely did that."