The new NRL rules have established trust in refereeing again.
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There's little other choice.
Because while you're blowing up in the defensive line, or in your own lounge room, about six more tackles, the game's already moving on.
Suddenly, the endless replays before a penalty goal attempt, instant criticism and nit-picking are irrelevant.
Get back the 10 metres and keep going, the analysis can wait.
Instead of the post-game deflection from coaches about refereeing decisions, after poor performances, the questions are on players about why they had to defend multiple sets when they're unable to slow the game. And of course referees, like players and sports editors, will make errors in decision-making, but the changes have let the footy do the talking.
Illawarra's former top NRL whistleblower Tony De Las Heras reckons the six-again calls for ruck infringements will allow referees use more "gut feel".
"If you're blowing a ruck penalty it's always a judgement call," he said.
"Should I? Or just hang on a moment longer? But with six again, there's the gut feel about it during the play.
"There's the infringement, six again, let's play on, the players are no longer slowing the game down, the game keeps flowing."
De Las Heras, who officiated more than 100 NRL games, has always been a fan of the two-referee system - where the main referee controls the 10 metres and the game - and the secondary pocket referee cleans up the ruck area.
But he believes Gerard Sutton set an outstanding benchmark for the season ahead on Thursday night, which resumed following the COVID-19 shutdown.
The impact of the six-again rule was on show in the opening moments, when Brisbane gave away multiple ruck infringement tackle restarts and conceded a try.
The discussion with De Las Heras took place before Friday night's NRL action and undoubtedly the league-loving public will learn more about how teams handle the changes in coming weeks.
De Las Heras expects coaching staff will be closely watching to develop their game plans this season.
"The coaches will be looking for every possible advantage," he said. "And that will develop, it'll be interesting to see the tactical and selection changes teams make to work around having fewer stoppages.
"It brings the smaller, skillful players into the game more often and players and referees work on the balance and flow of the game."
It came as the 2010 Dragons premiership coach Wayne Bennett offered his endorsement to the rule change.
Bennett declared the need to make the on-field product more attractive, as teams were accused of giving away deliberate penalties to have a breather and reset the defensive line.
"We all realised that you can't be giving 20 penalties out there anymore, because it's going to detract from the quality of the game we want," Bennett said.
Social interaction
Phone apps to project fan reaction into speakers in Japan, video conferencing technology to show fans on giant screens at games in Denmark, cardboard cut-outs in the grandstands and canned crowd noise to restart the NRL. The COVID-19 recovery has produced some wonderful approaches to fan engagement.
Social media is always rife with hot takes and frustration, but it was especially heightened as the NRL season kicked off again, given supporters usually at games wanted another outlet.
And if the fan anxiety about St George Illawarra's prospects is any guide, Twitter will be in meltdown if the Dragons sink to 0-3 with a loss to the Warriors.
Waiting game
The Illawarra Hawks ownership model, involving NBA prospect LaMelo Ball looms, as reported by the Mercury this week, but an official announcement still awaits.
NBL boss Larry Kestelman told SEN a deal, which the Mercury had revealed is to be between Ball and Illawarra businessman Tory Lavalle, was "close" as they flesh out the final details.
