BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

When the National Rugby League introduced the ghastly six-again rule in 2021 – it changed the product in a very ugly way. The fabric of the game had been ripped and tugged at for years but never like what we saw last year.

Thankfully, with changes to the rules in 2022, we have seen the quality of matches and the competitiveness return in a major way.

One of the real winners has been all those classy, specialist centres that found themselves on the endangered list last season. On the scrap heap, ready for extinction as the 2021 NRL premiership unravelled into utter chaos.

The centre is back in 2022.

Thank God.

When we look back on last season, it was clear that a match could be decided within the opening minutes. A team would begin their set – fast. It would get faster as the referee called a six-again, it got faster and faster again – to the point where a team could roll down the field like an avalanche.

Defensive units didn’t stand a chance.

The ruck, as it once was, became obsolete.

Teams could rage down the field with 12 or 18 tackles in a row and score.

Opposition lines were out on their feet.

Absolutely gassed.

And it repeated itself over and over again.

Centres became an afterthought.

The game plan was simple. Gain the momentum and push through the middle. Fullbacks no longer trained for sweep plays and wouldn’t even consider linking wider to their centres. Why would they? Everything went down the middle of the field. Second-rowers or “edge forwards” became the new centres.

At least now, in 2022, with changes to the six-again rule we have seen the “edge forwards” forced to do some of the heavy lifting as a team earns their momentum and earns their field position.

Now the centres are enjoying some ball and some freedom and the halves are looking out instead of directly down the centre of the paddock.

In recent seasons, we’ve seen wingers and centres, desperate to switch positions and get their “fullback money”. We’ve also seen lower clubs signing players and guaranteeing them first shot at the number 1 gig. It won’t be long before we see centres getting the money they deserve because the game is coming back to what it should look like.

The 2021 State of Origin series saw club fullbacks Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic represent New South Wales in all three matches while Kurt Capewell (second rower) and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (fullback or winger) partner Dane Gagai in the centres for Queensland.

While Mitchell and Trbojevic have been injured in recent weeks, it has been refreshing to see the media hyping a club game on a potential Blues selection showdown between Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs and Cronulla’s Siosifa Talakai.

There’s plenty of other candidates like Stephen Crichton, Campbell Graham, Zac Lomax and Bradman Best too.

What about Justin Olam, Herbie Farnworth, Izack Tago, Aaron Schoupp, Brad Parker and English International Oliver Gildart?

Sydney Roosters superstar Kiwi centre Joey Manu already has six tries after 8 rounds in 2022.

In 2021, just two centres finished in the top 20 tryscorers for the entire season.

After 8 rounds of the new season, there are seven starting centres in the top 30 of the NRL for linebreaks.

Over the entire 2021 season, five made the top 30.

The artform of playing centre was almost dead.

But it’s back in a big way in 2022.

@woodward_curtis