davey41 wrote:Where does it say in the law about it being deliberate or accidental?
It doesn’t!
By your interpretation that means you can get a penalty by throwing the ball at an opposition players head (so long as you throw it in a backwards direction). That clearly wouldn't be correct.
You also can't claim a knock on if you throw the ball at an opposition players arm unless he attempts to grab at the ball. The letter of the law states that it is a knock on though.
I must admit that my initial post was triggered by a memory of a try that you can see if you search 'Strange Rugby League Try' on YT. I didn't know they'd added this law after that try, and am certain that the intent of the law is to ban 'head-to-ball' NOT 'ball-to-head'
A 'knock on' can only happen off the hand or arm, so it's definitely not that. Seems a bit extreme to claim a penalty for a ball hitting a player's head.
You're barking up the wrong tree trying to blame this one on the refs - I accept that they make too many inconsistent decisions generally though.