A recent innovation to the National Rugby League competition (in 2003), is the golden point, a sudden death overtime system, with the term borrowed from soccer's now defunct golden goal. It had been used previously in Super League's Tri-Series in 1997.

The golden point is used to ensure a winner (where applicable, see below) when scores are level at the end of regular time. Previous to its introduction, normal season games were left as draws; in finals matches, 20 minutes extra time ensued (10 minutes each way), with a replay in the event of a draw.

If the scores are level at the end of 80 minutes, 5 minutes is played, the teams swap ends with no break, and a further 5 minutes is played. Any score (try, penalty goal, or field goal) in this 10 minute period secures a win for the scoring team, and the game ends at that point. If the scoring event is a try, no conversion is attempted. If no further scoring occurs, the game is drawn and each team receives one competition point.

However, during the finals series, where a winner must be found on the day, play continues until either team scores. Finals matches waive the change of ends at the 5 minute mark, only after 10 scoreless minutes do the teams change ends, and timeless golden point begins.

The golden point has also been adopted in State of Origin games; indeed, it was the catalyst for the golden point being implemented, as 1-all draws in 1999 and again in 2002, left no clear winner of the series.

External links

• A list of golden point games

Rugby league terminology | Oceanian rugby league competitions | National Rugby League | Rugby league in Australia