Former Roosters player Brian Fletcher has backed a controversial proposal to change the interchange bench in the NRL with both Ivan Cleary and Michael Maguire reportedly backing the plan. Although there is backlash to the proposal with fans concerned the rule change would end the role of the utility player.
This week, Maguire and Cleary reportedly backed the idea of extending the NRL interchange bench to eight players. Currently, a team can have four players on their bench who can interchange eight times throughout the 80 minutes.
The four players must be tactically selected to cover multiple positions to account for injury and fatigue. A coach often selects a utility in the No.14 jersey to cover this scenario.
However, the proposal is to extend the bench to eight players to allow a coach to have more specialised coverage waiting in the wings. While only four players would still be chosen to play, a coach would have more flexibility and could cover more scenarios if their was an injury.
Some could argue this would improve the quality of the game with a specialist coming on in a position. While others suggest rugby league is about fatigue and and adaptability on the fly and it goes against what makes the sport so rigorous.
The Broncos and Panthers coaches reportedly backed the idea, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. A meeting, involving the likes of Michael Maguire, Ivan Cleary and Craig Bellamy saw the coaches back the change for a number of reasons.
And former players Joel Caine and Fletcher would also welcome the idea. Speaking on SEN Radio on Tuesday afternoon, Gould felt six interchange options was enough, while Fletcher felt it was a ‘no-brainer’ moving forward. “And you can have a kid on the bench and if you are lapping the opposition…is he going to make his debut,” Fletcher said. “If a halfback goes down, we’ve got a legitimate seven on the bench,” Fletcher added when talking from a coaches view.
Gould felt the rule change would garner excitement giving coaches the ability to bring on a player with X-factor chasing the game. However, not all are on board with the proposal.
Proposed NRL change ruins game’s attrition battle
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Jimmy Smith and Michael Carayannis disagreed and felt the move would kill the position of utility. Speaking on SEN Radio, Carayannis said the sport has thrived off it’s natural war of attrition, which separates it from other codes.
“I don’t love it. I think there is an element in this game of natural attrition, which has been a hallmark of rugby league for so long. That is not to put out battered guys or guys that have got those head knocks. Because we have safeguarded that now with the 18th man,” he said.
“I think because we have got that 18th man, I don’t think we need this situation where we are going to carry six players on the bench.” Carayannis added: “I think we have set up the game now where the utility is so vital. Having that player, that jack-of-all-trades, has become a key component of the side. You would lose that.”
And Smith agreed. “If this is introduced, the value of the utility goes through the floor. You do not need them anymore…I think it is a knee jerk reaction.”
NRL change could impact the art of coaching
Smith felt this has come after a number of scenarios that occurred during the NRL finals series. During the NRL grand final, Jack Howarth was injured early. This saw utility Tyran Wishart come on early and the Melbourne Storm lost his impact as he played slightly out of position. During Penrith’s loss to the Broncos, Scott Sorrensen was ruled out due to concussion after just two minutes.
Luke Gardner played the rest of the game, but it impacted Cleary’s options from the bench. And the Raiders lost Ethan Strange on the day of the game due to illness when they lost to the Broncos. The strict rules around bringing in players on game day impacted the club’s ability to make a like-for-like switch.
Another example was when halfback Nicho Hynes moved from the bench to the unfamiliar role of centre because of an injury in the 2023 State of Origin series. The proposed change would allow a more specialised back move into the role.
But Smith and Carayannis felt the rule change would impact the art of coaching and the ability to solve an issue mid-game. One thing is for sure, the idea is a proposal and it won’t be introduced for the 2026 NRL season. But it could it could be considered going forward.
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