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Tired bench rule to be changed
By Stuart Honeysett
July 30, 2007
THE NRL will consider reducing the number of interchanges next season in an attempt to combat player burnout.
The move comes after an injury crisis has blighted this season with several of the game's biggest names including Darren Lockyer, Danny Buderus and Willie Mason unavailable to play last weekend.
The situation was so bad two weeks ago that 77 players unavailable.
The league has already tinkered with the draw for 2008 to try to alleviate the workload on players.
Any move to adjust the interchange will be the most significant rule change since golden point was introduced in 2003. Unlimited interchange was scrapped in 2001.
Such a rule change could also provide much-needed relief to the elite players who, with a World Cup scheduled for the end of 2008, are looking at playing 35 games next season.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said yesterday that he was keen to discuss the interchange system after the season to determine whether further relief could be provided.
The game operates under a 12-4 system (12 interchanges from four replacements) but a 10-4 model is being considered.
The league believes a reduction will force more of the game's big men to remain on the field for longer periods and therefore reduce their physical impact on the match as the game wears on.
"We've managed to make some key improvements to the season schedule but the facts remains that the game is brutal," Gallop said.
"It's an issue and we need to look carefully in the off season at the way the game is being played.
"That may include examining whether the interchange is contributing to the potential for injury by allowing too many opportunities for the big men to play unfatigued."
The proposal comes as Australia coach Ricky Stuart floated in his newspaper column yesterday an idea to cut the number of interchanges in half, to six.
Other coaches and players yesterday welcomed a move to reduce player fatigue, but they questioned the effectiveness of interchange reductions.
"That's the first time I've heard it addressing the injury rate," Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens said.
"It's more addressing the attrition rate - that's the toughness of the players.
"I know they're saying it will slow the game down so people won't run into each other at the same pace.
"But I don't know if it will address the injury rate."
New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price advocated a reduction of the number of interchanges, and encouraged the NRL to go as far as an 8-4 system.
"Most clubs interchange your front rowers, hooker and maybe one back rower so all it means is that your front rowers have to be a bit fitter," Price said.
"We're at the stage now where we've gone from unlimited to 12 and everyone is up to scratch with that. I think eight (changes) would be ideal because it's an endurance, high-impact sport."
However, Price warned the solution might offer only a quick fix before players adjusted their fitness levels accordingly.
"When it first comes in it will work, and then it will just go to the way it's gone now and everyone gets conditioned to it and it will probably be as bad as ever," Price said.
Newcastle coach Brian Smith said he was concerned that tinkering with the number of interchanges would have an adverse effect. The Knights are battling a crippling injury toll and had eight regular first-grade players unavailable before Saturday night's 52-10 loss to the Warriors.
"There'd be more pressure on everybody to make players stay out there when they're already injured and that's what leads to most of the injuries," Smith said.
"I would say most players are breaking down because they are playing when they are fatigued - whether that's fatigued within the game or fatigued within the season - and fatigue leads to injury. It would also slow the game down and you'd have a decrease in standard."
Smith said the league would be better off increasing the number of replacements.
"We've all got a top 25 and when they're all fit we've got eight of them doing nothing," Smith said.
"Why not consider putting those guys on the bench?
"But if they're really serious about lowering their injury rate they'd talk about better scheduling, less games and not making players play when they're already busted."
By Stuart Honeysett
July 30, 2007
THE NRL will consider reducing the number of interchanges next season in an attempt to combat player burnout.
The move comes after an injury crisis has blighted this season with several of the game's biggest names including Darren Lockyer, Danny Buderus and Willie Mason unavailable to play last weekend.
The situation was so bad two weeks ago that 77 players unavailable.
The league has already tinkered with the draw for 2008 to try to alleviate the workload on players.
Any move to adjust the interchange will be the most significant rule change since golden point was introduced in 2003. Unlimited interchange was scrapped in 2001.
Such a rule change could also provide much-needed relief to the elite players who, with a World Cup scheduled for the end of 2008, are looking at playing 35 games next season.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said yesterday that he was keen to discuss the interchange system after the season to determine whether further relief could be provided.
The game operates under a 12-4 system (12 interchanges from four replacements) but a 10-4 model is being considered.
The league believes a reduction will force more of the game's big men to remain on the field for longer periods and therefore reduce their physical impact on the match as the game wears on.
"We've managed to make some key improvements to the season schedule but the facts remains that the game is brutal," Gallop said.
"It's an issue and we need to look carefully in the off season at the way the game is being played.
"That may include examining whether the interchange is contributing to the potential for injury by allowing too many opportunities for the big men to play unfatigued."
The proposal comes as Australia coach Ricky Stuart floated in his newspaper column yesterday an idea to cut the number of interchanges in half, to six.
Other coaches and players yesterday welcomed a move to reduce player fatigue, but they questioned the effectiveness of interchange reductions.
"That's the first time I've heard it addressing the injury rate," Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens said.
"It's more addressing the attrition rate - that's the toughness of the players.
"I know they're saying it will slow the game down so people won't run into each other at the same pace.
"But I don't know if it will address the injury rate."
New Zealand Warriors captain Steve Price advocated a reduction of the number of interchanges, and encouraged the NRL to go as far as an 8-4 system.
"Most clubs interchange your front rowers, hooker and maybe one back rower so all it means is that your front rowers have to be a bit fitter," Price said.
"We're at the stage now where we've gone from unlimited to 12 and everyone is up to scratch with that. I think eight (changes) would be ideal because it's an endurance, high-impact sport."
However, Price warned the solution might offer only a quick fix before players adjusted their fitness levels accordingly.
"When it first comes in it will work, and then it will just go to the way it's gone now and everyone gets conditioned to it and it will probably be as bad as ever," Price said.
Newcastle coach Brian Smith said he was concerned that tinkering with the number of interchanges would have an adverse effect. The Knights are battling a crippling injury toll and had eight regular first-grade players unavailable before Saturday night's 52-10 loss to the Warriors.
"There'd be more pressure on everybody to make players stay out there when they're already injured and that's what leads to most of the injuries," Smith said.
"I would say most players are breaking down because they are playing when they are fatigued - whether that's fatigued within the game or fatigued within the season - and fatigue leads to injury. It would also slow the game down and you'd have a decrease in standard."
Smith said the league would be better off increasing the number of replacements.
"We've all got a top 25 and when they're all fit we've got eight of them doing nothing," Smith said.
"Why not consider putting those guys on the bench?
"But if they're really serious about lowering their injury rate they'd talk about better scheduling, less games and not making players play when they're already busted."
