St George Illawarra Dragons and Queensland Maroons star Ben Hunt has called for defenders to retain the ability to put pressure on kickers.
In what has been a recently heavily discussed talking point following some horror injuries and other soft sin binnings, referees have been enforcing rules around pressure on kickers significantly more than any other time in rugby league history.
Things came to a head last weekend when Harry Grant was penalised, sin binned and placed on report by the match review committee for making marginal contact with Cronulla Sharks' half Daniel Atkinson.
Grant eventually went to the judiciary to challenge the fine, being found not guilty at the hearing.
Grant implored the NRL to not take pressure on kickers totally out of the game following that clash, and it's a call Hunt has now backed.
“I've definitely noticed defenders getting closer, but everyone knows that they're not allowed to hit us (kickers) anymore,” Hunt said per Fox Sports.
“I think it's gone too far. I know they're trying to make the game a lot safer, but a big part of the game is putting pressure on a kicker and trying to get errors out of them.
“It's a tough one because they're trying to make it safer, but you still want those plays where someone works their butt off to get out of the line and put some pressure on and spoils the kick.
“If you've got one foot planted and you kick, someone just needs to bump that other leg and it really throws you off balance.
“While I think (the Grant tackle) was a shocking penalty, it doesn't take much to spin you off balance.”
The NRL's head of football Graham Annesley said on Monday during his weekly footy briefing that there had been no directive from the NRL for officials to crack down on contact made with kickers.
