[Jeff Waegelin]

In my mind, the biggest issue with penalties is when they are used to enforce gameplay. The simplest and best games are the ones where penalties are not needed to make sure that teams play the game "the right way". In an ideal world, the only penalties needed will be ones like high-speed ramming and pinning - the old standbys that show up every year - and those designed with safety in mind. The ones that are used to regulate a style of play (i.e. this year's G22) are inevitably the ones that end up causing pain and frustration to teams, and lead to numerous matches being decided on penalties.

It's by no means an easy task to design a game that doesn't need penalties to be played right - I've faced the same problem with other competitions in the past - but when you can do it right, it makes for a much more enjoyable experience for the competitors, referees, and spectators.