The ‘shot clock’, which is proposed for the NRL next season, will be trialled in today’s Holden Cup clash between the Gold Training Titans and Canberra Raiders at Cbus Super Stadium.
The rule involves a strict time period for players to restart play with a scrum or line-drop-out to avoid time wasting. There will be 35 seconds allowed form the time the referee signals scrum to when it must be packed, and 30 seconds for a goal-line drop-out.
A team that fails to restart during that period will be penalised. The countdown will be posted on the electronic scoreboard for teams to be aware of how time is progressing.
If a player is injured during the period, to avoid time-wasting he will have to be removed from the field for medical attention, or attended to in back play, while play continues.
Being a Fox Sports televised game, the captain’s call rule will also apply in this match which is usual in televised under-20s games. That gives each team the opportunity to contest a referee’s decision once per half, although each time successful you retain another call.
Titans coach Ben Woolf is looking at some positional switches in his team, with halfback Braydon Torpy out with a hip injury. Daniel Schwass will move to halfback, Karl Lawton from hooker to five-eighth and Chris Law will start as hooker.
The Titans are placed 14th after just seven wins this season but five have been against teams currently in the top eight – leaders Penrith, third-placed Brisbane (by 36-6), fourth-placed Sydney Roosters, fifth-placed Manly and eighth-placed Wests Tigers.
They will be after another scalp against the sixth-placed Raiders who are without powerful centre Brenko Lee who has been called up to the Raiders’ NSW Cup side, Mounties.
However a danger man will be lock Tevita Pangai Junior who is a powerful runner and easily leads the NYC in offloads.
Kick-off is 11.45am.
