NRL 2021: Luke Keary, Damien Cook among new faces that will decide direction of the game

Two of the NRL’s most revered players will be part of the revamped innovation committee. See who is on it and vote in what changes you would like to see introduced.

Craig Bellamy, coach of the Melbourne Storm looks on during a Melbourne Storm NRL training session at Goschs Paddock in Melbourne, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour) NO ARCHIVING

Sydney Roosters star Luke Keary will join a new-look NRL innovation committee to discuss a range of potential rule changes.

Keary and South Sydney Rabbitohs star Damien Cook will be joined by premiership-winning coach Craig Bellamy and Canberra mentor Ricky Stuart.

Senior referee Matt Cecchin will also be on the eight-person working group.

After successfully leading Project Apollo, ARL commissioner Wayne Pearce will chair the committee that will also include Peter V’landys, Graham Annesley and Andrew Abdo.

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Craig Bellamy will be on the team.

Ricky Stuart will impart his wisdom.

They will discuss the merits of the widespread changes brought in this year including the reintroduction of one referee, six again set restarts and the captain’s challenge. Stuart publicly backed the changes earlier this year.

Pearce said a large chunk of the meeting would be about “reviewing the season”.

“What we could have done better, primarily around the rules,” Pearce said.

“Part of that is looking what we brought in and how those innovations fared this year.

“The management team are getting together some statistics on the game on a whole range of things in terms of injuries and other angles.”

The group will also explore further innovations. V’landys is keen to tinker with scrum formations, including having only forwards pack-down. The trial of allowing the bunker to analyse on-field try decisions while the goalkicker lined up a conversion will also be discussed.

“Anything is possible,” Pearce said.

“Everything is on the table. As a code we are committed to continuing to look to provide the best possible product for our fans in a manner that’s safe for our players and officials.

“We’re prepared to try things. We had a few wins this year. We want to know what worked, what didn’t work and how we can come up with an even better product.”

Luke Keary and Damien Cook will be part of the new-look team.

The session is planned for just one day but there may be a follow-up pending on what eventuates. The Project Apollo moniker is now destined for the rugby league archives after the group successfully led the game out of the abyss.

“It needed a powerful name,” Pearce said.

“We landed safely and completed our journey – not on earth – but on Suncorp Stadium for Origin III.”

The innovation committee replaces the old competition committee which had 12 people on it last year including V’landys, Pearce, Annesley, Peter Beattie, Todd Greenberg, John Lang, Ivan Cleary, Paul Green, Mal Meninga, Clint Newton, Darren Lockyer and Bernard Sutton.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Luke Keary, Damien Cook among new faces that will decide direction of the game