The ultimate in modern full-time RL is the "roll" - a succession of fast play-the-balls with the pass fed to a fast, heavy and powerful forward on a well timed and well rehed run, each drive making 10 or more yards. A set of such drives can smash the defence apart or put the team close to the opposition line. Most fans love it, and most coaches and teams rely on it for the bulk of their progress in the match. It necessitates large fast forwards and it reduces the need for lighter players with good footwork and ball handling skills.
The referee calling "held" when a tackle nears a stalemate, and ensuring that the PTB is not allowed until the defenders clear the ruck (as it actually states in the laws) could change the emphasis of the game. A slower, more controlled PTB would reduce the effectiveness of the giant athletes and require teams to look for a greater use of ball-handling and footwork skills to break the defence (it would also cut out some of the joint damage caused by extended wrestling in the tackle).
Of course, the "roll" is what delights the crowd at the moment, and full-time clubs have an enormous vested interest in the status quo, in that they already have the big players on their books, and the systems within the clubs for making the best use of them. It takes many years to develop ball-handling and footwork skills: it is much quicker to bulk up a willing player and turn him into a battering ram. I can see no desire in the game for a slower PTB. I can see more and more high impact injuries, and an increase in the number of players who, one day, will regret some of the things they did to their one and only body.

Huddersfield are already playing the 5m rule. Go on , fine me 4K.

saucer of milke for churchil

Some very valid points, however the fact is that the RFL and the clubs run the game, and if they wanted to, they could limit the number of games each player could play in a season, or even shorten the season overall.

The TV companies do not dicate how many games we play, it is the RFL/SL who do this and then sell this to the companies. A few years ago we used to play 30 games, and now we play 27. Sky's deal went up, and I'm sure they now just double up the odd game here and there.

If teams were that bothered, they could arrange games for Friday evening each week, then they would always get at least 6 days recovery time, but some clubs play on a Friday by their own choice, after playing away on the previous Sunday.

I'd fully support a return to the 5m rule purely on this basis - the 'flap about on the floor for a ridiculously quick PTB or penalty' technique is really grating.

But with 5m, wouldn't the importance of quick ptb's be increased? An average speed ptb can cause problems at the mo.