An edict sent from NRL headquarters during the Christmas break, ambushing coaches with a significant new rule interpretation, has angered them, with some claiming Broncos boss Wayne Bennett is "running the game".
The edict, sent out on December 23, by NRL head of football Todd Greenberg, warns that referees will penalise defenders who do not simultaneously release themselves from a ball carrier. Bennett, a 700-game multiple premiership coach, has long campaigned against what is called "the wrestle", with the new rule interpretation designed to speed up the play-the-ball.
Coaches protest it will result in more dummy-half running and one-out play, with offload rates dropping even more precipitously than in 2014, where the three top teams had the lowest statistics on keeping the ball alive. Team bosses left a meeting early in December, convinced there would be no changes to the rules, with one phoning his chief executive, saying, "Good news. No new rule changes."
However, the NRL competition committee, which includes Bennett and Roosters coach Trent Robinson, is the body empowered to recommend rule changes to the ARL Commission. It met the following day and voted in the new rule interpretation. The ARLC approved it and eventually the head coaches received Greenberg's edict just before Christmas.
Many protest that Bennett and Robinson had a month's warning of the significant change to the speed of the ruck and were able to tutor their charges accordingly, just as they were able to take advantage of prior knowledge of last year's ban on the cannonball tackle.
The new interpretation, tacked almost innocuously to the end of a detailed missive from Greenberg, says "the player in possession shall be immediately released by the defender and/or defenders". This is a major change from 2014, where latitude was allowed in three-man tackles, with players permitted to peel away from the tackled player, with two moving together and then the third, or one moving and then two simultaneously.
Greenberg says this made it very difficult for referees to adjudicate. "Now the referee will call 'release' and the three will move simultaneously," he said. "I don't believe it will lead to more dummy-half running and one-out take-ups."
While it may result in more two-man tackles and therefore the potential for offloads, coaches don't see it that way. "It will be easier to get yardage off the quick play-the-balls by dummy-half running and hit-ups than chancing an offload," declared one coach.
Greenberg said he is intrigued by the accusation Bennett is running the NRL. "It fascinates me," he said.
Greenberg said referees director Tony Archer had been instructed to log the number and duration of all calls from the NRL's head coaches, partly to determine who was trying to influence onfield decision making. "I know who talks to Tony Archer," Greenberg said. "Wayne Bennett is not in the top eight."
However, Greenberg admitted he had taken steps to remove the perception that senior coaches, like Bennett, had too much influence. He is preparing a paper for the ARLC which would recommend NRL coaches serve no more than two years on the competition committee.
Furthermore, an active player of high standing, such as Australian captain Cameron Smith or Souths captain Greg Inglis, would be invited to serve. "I've had discussions with the RLPA to this end," Greenberg said.
Former Broncos captain Darren Lockyer sits on the committee but because of his close association with Bennett, some NRL clubs believe Bennett has two votes.
Greenberg has also indicated future meetings of the competition committee would precede the biannual NRL coaches conference, thereby allowing the 16 club bosses to be briefed on recommended changes to the rules, or interpretations of them.
While these changes will alleviate the perception that senior coaches, like Bennett, have too much influence, they may not placate the 14 club bosses who believe the Broncos and Roosters have enjoyed a month's warning of 2015's rapid ruck football.
Players from rival clubs exchange information over the off-season, with some returning to their teams with a message gleaned from discussions with the Broncos: "Forget about the wrestle in 2015."
Greenberg explained the competition committee's December recommendation had to ratified by the ARLC and then vision prepared to accompany his edict to coaches, eventually sent during the Christmas break. "I understand the frustration of some of the coaches," he said. "Work had to be done to shape the information sent."
