Webster advises caution over NRL's set restart spate
The Warriors may be taking advantage of it, but Andrew Webster has warned the NRL could be heading down a dreaded rugby union path of ruling confusion.
Complementing a focus on fitness and discipline, the in-form Warriors are believed to be reaping the benefits of the NRL’s crackdown on slowing down the ruck and the spate of set restarts being dished out by the premiership’s referees over the first fortnight of the competition.
Blowouts and high scores have permeated the opening two rounds – including the Warriors’ emphatic wins over ill-disciplined heavyweights Sydney Roosters (42-18) and Canberra (40-6).
As revealed by the Rugby League Eye Test – whose outstanding statistical analysis every fan of the game should be across and get behind – the set restart stats across the NRL are out the gate.
In Round 2, there were 22 more set restarts than penalties awarded, shattering the previous record since the offside six-again rule was implemented in 2021.
Meanwhile, the 92 set restarts last weekend (11.5 per game) were an 80 percent increase on Round 2 in 2025. Fonzie discussed this at length on This Warriors Life Podcast on Tuesday (watch the segment below).
The controversial officiating trend has coincided with Andrew Webster’s focus on his team cleaning up that area of their game.
“We worked really hard on being disciplined with [not giving away set restarts],” Webster told media on Wednesday.
“We were the worst penalised team in the competition last year. We worked really hard on being a lot better in that area.
“I feel like it’s hard … between the 20 [metre line] and the 40 that you could defend five tackles or four tackles and you’ve got them pinned down and you give away six-to-go, 21 metres out, then now you’ve got to defend another set.”
Despite the set restart area being crucial to the magnitude of the Warriors’ wins over the Roosters and Raiders, Webster offered a couple of warnings about the crackdown and how it is impacting the game as a spectacle.
The coach suggested set restarts are giving referees an easy out.
“I think the fans want to know that’s a penalty, and at some stage just see the ref put their arm up as opposed to, ‘What’s that for?’
“Because while the ball’s in play and it’s great, it could get like rugby union where everyone sits there and goes, ‘What was that for? I don’t actually know?’
“Because there’s no accountability to it for the fans. There’s less accountability for the referees because they can be a bit braver to give a six-to-go as opposed to blowing the whistle.”
LISTEN TO ANDREW WEBSTER’S FULL MEDIA SESSION BELOW, INCLUDING COMMENTS ON LUKE HANSON AND TANAH BOYD