Footy guru Phil Gould reveals the most ridiculous rule in the NRL: 'Our game is so stupid'

NRL guru Phil Gould has gone nuclear over proposed rule changes to the kick off and called for the top brass to listen to coaches and players instead of doctors and lawyers.

Gould has been left raging over calls to outlaw the kick return in a bid to reduce concussions in the game.

That conversation reached fever pitch on Anzac Day when St George Illawarra centre Moses Suli was knocked out when his head collected the elbow and head of Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

Former rugby league player and respected doctor Nathan Gibbs has said the easiest way to prevent these collision is to ban the kick return while a host of journalists have also agreed the idea has merit.

However former players have blown up at the suggestion, with former Bulldogs and Dragons skipper James Graham saying: 'If you want the game to be [completely] safe, you're playing the wrong game,' on NRL360.

Gould is now begging the NRL to start listening to the coaches and players and stop ripping at the fabric of the game through constant rule changes. 

'There's no alternative, leave the game alone,' he said on Nine's 100% Footy.

'We are tearing it apart. It is really frustrating watching our game be torn apart by everybody bar the coaches and the players, it just drives me mad. Doctors, lawyers and fans on social media, that's all they listen to. They don't listen to players.'

He pointed to the recent rule change where teams no longer give away a penalty for attempting a short drop out and failing as how the game has gone mad.

 'Our game is so stupid,' he said.

'You can lose the ball over the line scoring a try and you get penalised 20 metres and seven tackles ... why? I don't know, because it's stupid.

'But I can just take a line drop out and if it goes out on the full or doesn't go 10 metres, no consequence, nothing at all. What sort of stupid game is this? Who sits and makes up these rules?

 'The Api Koroisau try. What the hell was that? We are so stupid with our rules ... our game is stupid.'

Gould posted his rant to social media platform X, where his followers agreed with his take and offered other examples as well.

'Same thing happened with [New Zealand Warrior] Roger's [Tuivasa-Sheck] try on the weekend,' one follower posted.

'Only called a knock on because it was slowed down to the point it looks like a knock on but if you see it regular speed it's as normal as any other pick up.' 

'Good on you Phil for calling out the stupidity,' veteran journalist Ray Gatt posted.

'The NRL has been a reactive organisation for too long. React to this to that to everything! The game is getting unrecognisable.'

Another fan said the leg lift penalty was another reactive move from the NRL.

'Throw in that new leg lift penalty as well personally. I understand penalising it if it becomes dangerous but just lifting the leg isn't worth getting penalised. Common sense is missing at the moment.'