The Rugby Football League has announced a series of amendments to the playing rules at the ruck in an attempt to curb incidents of players 'acting contrary to the spirit of the game'.
It has become an issue in the game where players are trying to win a penalty by throwing the ball into a player on the ground or into a defender at the play the ball.
The RFL announced on Tuesday that placing the ball on the tackler will now be ruled a knock-on, while players will also be penalised for stepping over a defender to place them in the ruck, with the laws to come into effect immediately.
In both cases, the RFL announcement adds: "If necessary the player (with the ball) should step backwards." A penalty will also be awarded "if the ball is forcibly heeled back with the intention of contacting the defending player", or for passing into an opposing player in and around the ruck.
"A number of high-profile incidents during and before the Easter weekend have shown certain teams or players acting contrary to the spirit of the game, in a manner that has infuriated fellow professionals, broadcasters and, crucially, supporters," RFL head of match officials Steve Ganson said on Tuesday.
"After internal consultation, we have therefore decided to make these changes to referee policy with immediate effect, applying throughout the game.
"This is an unusual step, but not unprecedented - and we hope it will be welcomed by coaches, players and supporters."
The changes followed Castleford coach Daryl Powell's furious rant after his side's 37-16 Super League loss to Catalan Dragons on Monday.
An incensed Powell said after the game: "I think there is a wider issue for the game at the moment.
"The amount of cheating in games is growing. Playing the ball into players on the floor, playing it at 100 miles an hour and we're cheating to combat the cheating.
"It's worse than football at the moment. I just think it's disgraceful, they have to get a grip of it. It has to be stamped out. They have to do something about it and the Rugby League have to act pretty quickly, I think."
The Super League released a statement of their own on Tuesday backing the new laws.
The statement said: "Super League has been increasingly concerned by the increasing number of players taking advantage of the strict application of the laws around players lying in the ruck at the play-the-ball and has been working with the RFL to find a solution.
"Super League is keen to stop players using the rules to gain an unfair advantage and supports referees who penalise obvious gamesmanship.
"It also welcomes allowing match officials to apply a less strict, judgement-based interpretation of the rules based on the official's observations at each ruck."