It's against the rules to slow down the ruck , if that was a team ploy it was risky..
A better ploy wouldve been second phase play
At least one coach in one game uses this as the whole basis of their game management strategy in every single round. Probably more. It's all about winning the rock. This is why almost every team in the NRL employs a fulltime wrestling coach.
20 years or so ago there was no wrestle. Very little anyway. Then Bellamy start it all and co subsequently introduced all of these illegal tackles into the game like the chicken wing. The chicken wing is a deliberate play to help get the player to the ground faster and then keep them from getting to their feet quickly, by applying pressure to a particular joint which then makes it painful for the tackles player to move.
Slowing down the ruck can at times be a risky ploy to gain back the ascendancy or advantage, but it's used in every single game. Players always spend the first 20 mins of the game testing the ref to see how lenient he will be, by playing on the tackles player to slow things down. Sometimes it works and they manage to control the tempo, and other times it doesn't because they are penalised all game for it. The penalty gives the other team field position, but also allows you to set your line.
But let me make this clear, slowing down the ruck is practiced by every team, every week. Some teams just seem to always get away with it. By this I mean Melbourne!!!