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NFL v. NRL

This is a guest contribution from Gene Goodsell.  Gene has a law degree with honours, a business degree and is currently Manager of Legal & Business Affairs for one of the leading international sports management agencies in Australia, as well as being a football agent.

national rugby leagueWith the impending launch of the NRL (National Rugby League) USA next year, now is an ideal time to examine the differences and similarities between the NFL and the NRL.

Apart from Canadian football, rugby league is the sport which is the most similar to American football.

The field: The NFL is played on similar rectangular field to the NRL. In the NRL, there are goal posts in the shape of the letter “H” at the goal line – these are used (in order of frequency) for conversions, penalty goals and occasionally, drop goals.

The players: There are 11 players on the field in the NFL at any one time and 13 in the NRL. A major difference is that in the NRL, it is the same players have to defend and attack. NRL players are fess specialised than those in the NFL.

Territory: In the NRL, a team has 6 tackles in which to score before handing over possession to their opponent. There is no automatic way of keeping possession of the ball after 6 tackles in the NRL, unlike in the NFL. Once  a player who has possession of the ball is tackled in the NRL, there is only a brief stoppage.

The ball can’t be passed forward in the NRL and can only be advanced by players running with it or kicking it ahead and chasing it. There is usually more kicking involved in the NRL and players who don’t have the ball can’t interfere with each other.

Points: A touchdown in the NFL is the equivalent to a try in the NRL. Ironically, a try requires the ball to be touched down the ground. There have been proposals for the touchdown to replace the try in the NRL, due to the injuries associated with defenders risking arm and limb to prevent the ball from being grounded. In the NRL, there is a 2 point conversion following a try. A conversion can’t be charged down and must be taken from the same position as the try was scored.

There is no concept of a safety in the NRL, rather, if a ball carrier is tackled in the endzone (in-goal area) with the ball, the ball carrier’s team has to kick the ball back to the opposing team from under the posts.

The NRL has a lot in common with the “old school” NFL. Amongst other things, the NRL is more spontaneous and less planned than the NFL, the players wear minimal protection and have 6 “downs to advance the ball.

One word to sum up the NRL – PHYSICAL!
To compare hits between the NFL and the NRL, check out the video below:

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

2 replies on “NFL v. NRL”

” As well as being a football agent” – is this bloke for real? Who the hell does he manage? What a farce.

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