It does leave me questioning why they set a date of 2025 for the reduction of the tackle height to below the armpits. If this is any indication of how the season is going to pan out, then we are in for a stinker and i can genuinely see it causing substantial harm to the viewing figures and interest which risks to completely undo all the positive changes that the sport and clubs have made.
We would have likely seen a tough year this season regardless, as i imagine there will be a period of adjustment to the reduced tackle height where we will see plenty of penalties dished out as well as suspensions. But with the path we have gone down, we are now facing 2 years in a row like the weekend just gone.
If they intended to be so aggressive against head contact (i am sure their hands are tied on this, with the ex player stuff ongoing), i just fail to see the logic in delaying the change that so needs to be made. At the game on Saturday i was saying to the group i go with, if this first round is a sign of how the season will go, then it is looking bad enough that the reduced tackle height could well be the saviour of the sport and a welcomed change, especially if the clubs and players buy into it. I do think it comes with other issues, such as potentially making offloads easier being one of them but i am sure the game would adjust to any effects such a big ruling will bring.
Putting on my conspiracy hat for a second, maybe that is part of the grand plan. Make this season so unbearable that even the controversial armpit ruling seems a desirable change!