New tackle laws have been introduced by Rugby Australia in 2024, as part of an initial two year trial, lowering the legal tackle height to below the sternum and at this stage, the jury is still out in regards to the impact the new rules will have.

Some Shute Shield coaches think it will change the game drastically and have spent all summer redesigning their game plan on both sides of the ball.

Others think it’s all been overhyped, while some have admitted that they are waiting to see how the first few rounds are refereed before deciding which way they will take their game this season.

As fans, we’re now excited by the changes after talking things through with many of the best rugby minds in the state.

Sure, there are going to be some teething issues early on and a whole heap of penalties as a result. But eventually as players adapt, the game is going to open up a lot in both attack and defence.

Here's a few reasons why.

Offloads and pop passes are back

Without diving too deep into it, the law changes will impact the second tackler in more-so than anyone else.

The first tackler in has always targeted the sternum, or lower. It’s the second tackler that has typically aimed higher over the past decade or two, in the hope of locking up the ball and slowing down the attack.