Rugby League like other sports has its own "jargon" used to describe certain aspects of playing the game. Here we have gathered together a collection of the most commonly used terms in the game as well as some less well known terms and their meanings.
K to R
Kick-off: A coin is tossed and the winning captain either chooses which direction his team shall play, or elects to take the kick that starts the game. Both halves of the match are started with a kick off a tee from the centre-point of the halfway line. The kick must cross the opposition's 10-metre line, unless played by a member of the receiving team. The opposition are not allowed to encroach beyond the 10-metre line until the ball is kicked. If the ball does not travel 10 metres, goes straight into touch, or goes over the dead ball line at the end of the pitch, the opposing will be given a penalty at the centre. After a score, the game is restarted from the same place under the same restrictions, with the conceding team drop-kicking the ball to the scoring team.
Knock-on: This is also called a knock-forward. A knock-on is committed when, in an attempt to play at the ball, a player knocks the ball towards their opponents' dead ball line with their hands or arms and it touches either the ground, or an opposing player. However, the ball may be knocked back. A knock-on results in a scrum with the put-in to the opposition apart from when a knock-on is committed by a player whose team is on their last tackle, when the result is a handover, and apart from if the opposing team gains possession of the ball, which results begins their set of tackles with a zero tackle.
Late tackle: A late tackle is a tackle executed on a player who has already passed or kicked away the ball. As it is illegal to tackle a player who does not have the ball, Late tackles are penalty offences (referees allow a short margin of error where the tackler was already committed to the tackle) and if severe or reckless may result in yellow or red cards.If a late tackle occurs after a kick and a penalty is awarded, the non-offending team has the option of taking the penalty where the ball landed.
Limited tackles: Limited tackles were introduced in 1966, initially with a four-tackle rule. After using their tackles, the team in possession must surrender the ball to their opponents. The limit would remain four until an increase to six tackles in 1972 created the six-tackle rule.
Line-out: Now obsolete the line-out was a method used to re-start play after the ball had gone into touch. Players from each team would stand in a line perpendicular to the touch line and attempt to catch the ball as it was thrown into the field of play. In 1897 the line-out was abolished and replaced with the punt-out.
Loose carry: A referee may decide that an attacking player did not sufficiently protect their possession of the ball as they came into contact with defenders; this is termed a loose carry. This interpretation allows a referee to decide if they think the attacking player committed a knock-on or whether the defenders stripped the ball with intent.
Loose forward: The loose forward (numbered 13) is the only forward in the third (last) row of the scrum. They are usually one of the fittest players on the field, covering the entire field on both attacking and defending duties. Typically they are big ball-runners who can occasionally slot in as a passing link or kick option; it is not uncommon for loose forwards to have the skills of a five eighth and to play a similar role in the team.
Loose head and feed: A team awarded a scrum due to a mistake by the opposing team is given the loose head and feed of that scrum. The "loose head" means that the prop closest to the player who feeds the scrum (puts the ball in) will be a team mate. In the era of fully contested scrums the loose head prop was able to exert influence on the outcome of the scrum by protecting the ball, moving the scrum etc. Before 1983, a scrum was formed at the end of a set of tackles, but in 1983 this was changed to a handover of possession.
Mark: The mark is the place on the field where the referee awards a penalty kick, free kick or scrum.
Marker: The defending team may position up to two of their players, known as "marker(s)" at the play-the-ball opposite the tackled player and the dummy-half from the attacking team.
Momentum rule: The so-called "momentum rule" is related to the Law on forward passes. Whether a ball has been illegally passed forward is judged by its movement relative to the player passing it. This method of judgement is used because most passes involve the ball moving forwards relative to the ground as the players carrying it are moving towards their opponents' goal line.
Move: Refers to a passage of play. This is often used to refer to pre-planned actions.The referee will call "Move!" to order defending players to allow a tackled player to their feet.
Mulligrubber: The mulligrubber kick is a style of kicking. A mulligrubber is directed towards the ground and forced to bounce. Often used in situations where either the ball needs to be placed in a specific position (i.e. on the try line) or to intentionally stop the opponent from being able to catch the ball on the full.
Obstruction: Impeding any opponent who does not have the ball by tackling them or obstructing them. The referee will penalise a player obstructing an opponent. A player is not required to move out of the path of another to prevent an obstruction. If two players from opposing teams are running in the same direction towards a loose ball they are permitted to shoulder charge their opponent.
Offload: An offload is when a player holding the ball is tackled, but passes the ball to a team mate before the tackle is completed. (A tackle is not considered complete until one of the following occurs: the arm carrying the ball touches the ground while the player is still held by the tackler; the player's forward momentum stops - in other words, he stops moving forward - while still being held by the tackler; or the referee calls "held".) If a player passes the ball legally during a tackle - in other words, if he offloads the ball - it does not count as a tackle in his team's current set of six, and play continues normally.
Offside: A player is considered temporarily out of play if they are offside and they might be penalised if they join the game inappropriately. A player is offside when they are forward of the relevant offside line i.e. between the relevant offside line and the opposing team's dead ball line. In a match, most players will be offside several times but they only become liable for penalty if they do not act to attempt to become onside (which generally means retreat downfield) or attempt to interfere with play. In open play, only the ball carrier's team (or the team that last carried or deliberately touched the ball) is bound by offside - the offside line for them is the ball. (Note every player who passes the ball backwards is offside and must attempt to retire.)
One-on-one tackle: One-on-one tackle is a colloquial phrase used to refer to a phase of play in rugby league in which a single defender attempts to tackle the ball carrier.
Onside: A player is onside whenever he or she is behind the relevant offside line for the particular phase of play. Players who are onside take an active part in playing the game. Previously offside players may be "put onside" by the actions of other players (for example, in a kick ahead in open play, players in the kicker's team in front of the kick are offside but can be put onside by the kicker or any other team member who was onside at the time of the kick running up the pitch past them). So that players can be confident they are now onside and can take an active part in the game, the referee may shout "Onside" or "All onside".
On the full: If the ball is kicked into touch without first bouncing inside the field of play it is referred to as the ball being kicked into touch on the full. A player catching the ball after a kick before it bounces has caught it on the full.
Openside: The broad side of the pitch in relation to a scrum or a play-the-ball.
Optional kick: The optional kick is the instrument used to bring the ball back into play. The team taking the kick may kick the ball in any way and in any direction. Except in cases of a penalty kick being taken, an optional kick is taken from the centre of the 20m line if the attacking team are the last to touch the ball before it goes over the dead ball line or touch in-goal line. An optional kick will also be awarded if an "attacking player infringes in the in-goal area" or if a defending player catches a kick in general play on the full while in their in-goal.
Pack: Refers to the group of forwards of a team.
Pack down: To form a scrum.
Parramatta Wall: A set-piece move with numerous variations in which attacking players stand side-by-side facing their own goal line while they and their teammates attempt to obscure the ball and confuse the defenders of the opposing team. The move is named after the Parramatta Eels.
Pass: A pass is to transfer a ball to a teammate by throwing it. Passes must not travel forward in direction from the hands of the person passing. There are different varieties of pass, including the flat, direct spin pass; the short, close-quarters pop pass; and the floated pass - a long pass which an advancing player can run onto at pace.
Penalty: Penalties are awarded for serious infringements like dangerous play, offside and handling the ball on the ground.
Penalty kick: If a side commits a penalty infringement the opposition can take the option of a place kick at goal from where the infringement occurred. This is called a penalty kick. If successful, it is worth two points.
Penalty try: A penalty try awarded if the referee believes a team illegally prevents a probable try from being scored. Penalty tries are always awarded under the posts regardless of where the offence took place.
Place kick: The place kick is a kicking style commonly used when kicking for goal. It typically involves placing the ball on the ground. To keep the ball in position, a mound of sand or plastic tee is sometimes used.
Placer: Placers are used to hold the ball in-place for a kicker during a place kick attempt. Placers are usually only used in the modern game if weather conditions are causing the ball to move from the position it has been set in by the kicker. In the early years of the game, when defenders could charge the ball as soon as it touched the ground, a placer was permitted to be used to place the ball on the ground at the last moment.
Play-the-ball: The play-the-ball is used to restart play in various instances during a game, but most-commonly immediately following a tackle.
Powerplay: Powerplay refers to the act of running the ball on the fifth tackle instead of kicking it.
Professional foul: A professional foul is a deliberate act of foul play, usually to prevent an opponent scoring.
Prop: The props (numbered 8 and 10) are normally the largest players on field (they typically weigh over 15 stones (100kg) in the open age/senior game). They are positioned in the centre of the line. The prop is an 'enforcer', dissuading the opposition from attacking the centre of the defensive line and in attack give the team momentum by taking the ball up to the defence aggressively.
Punt-out: Now obsolete, between 1897 and 1902, the punt-out, also called a kick-in, was an option for the method of re-starting play after the ball had gone into touch (the other option being a scrum). It replaced the line-out in 1897 and was itself replaced by a scrum on the 10 yard line in 1902. A punt-out was taken from the touch-line by a player who could kick the ball back into play, in any direction.
Red zone: The area between each goal line and their respective 20 metre lines, i.e. their own quarter, may be referred to as the "red zone".
Rooks: Someone who has great knowledge about the sport of Rugby League.
Round the corner kicking: Round the corner kicking is a style of kicking used for kicking penalties and converting tries.
Ruck: The ruck is located between the player playing-the-ball and the defending marker. The ruck exists during the time between a tackle being completed and the subsequent play-the-ball being completed. The ball cannot be interfered with by the marker whilst it is in the ruck, otherwise a penalty will be issued against that player's team. A penalty is also issued against the attacking team if the player responsible for playing-the-ball, does not play it correctly.
