By Nick Wright
NRL premiership-winner Scott Prince has thrown his support behind the rugby league governing body’s harsh stance on contact to kickers, despite the crackdown drawing criticism from an Immortal of the game.
Prince, who now coaches the Broncos NRLW side, suffered a severely broken leg during his playing career in Brisbane as a result of being taken out while kicking.
While he went on to become a champion halfback with Wests Tigers, the incident did stall his ascent and resulted in him leaving Red Hill for a fresh start.
Scott Prince during his playing days with the Brisbane Broncos.Credit: Anthony Johnson
Since Dragons No.7 Lachlan Ilias suffered a fractured tibia in 2024, the NRL have sought to eradicate any contact made with kickers’ legs in vulnerable positions, leading to several penalties being blown for seemingly incidental moments.
Those instances included last weekend when Melbourne hooker Harry Grant was penalised as he turned his back on Manly five-eighth Luke Brooks, which was slammed as “soft” by rugby league legend Andrew Johns.
However, when asked if the crackdown had gone too far, Prince declared “I think the balance is right”.
“At the end of the day, as a former player that’s how I broke my leg and I get the protection for our playing group, and particularly, our halves. I don’t think it’s gone too far,” Prince said.
“I think they are still open for a legitimate tackle … but targeting the legs I just think there’s no place in the game for it.
“As a general play kicker, you are in a vulnerable position where players can target the legs, and you don’t want to see those players taken out due to injury.
“I’m not saying leave the kicker alone because you don’t want them to take advantage of that, but know if you’re going to be in that position then make a conventional tackle, don’t go for the legs.”
Pressed on the incidental contact without an obvious intent to take out the legs, Prince stressed any contact on the kicker needed to be a conventional tackle.
Harry Grant was penalised for this contact on Luke Brooks.Credit: Nine
“If you want to make a conventional tackle whilst the player is in a kicking position, when you target the legs it’s not the right way of doing that – you’re not going to do that in a normal conventional tackle,” Prince said.
“The way I coach with our playing group, we understand putting pressure on the kicker is important because you don’t want to give them time to dictate terms. But my view is, don’t touch the legs.
“Pressure the kicker, but doing it the right way is the most important thing.”
Prince’s halves pairing of Gayle Broughton and Ali Brigginshaw will hold the key to his Broncos’ side bouncing back from last week’s defeat to the Sydney Roosters, as they prepare to draw on their vast experience to thwart a Dragons outfit who dealt the Bulldogs their first loss in the NRLW.
The veteran pair will need to forge quick and lethal combinations with their respective edge forwards Lauren Dam and Romy Teitzel quickly, given the duo both began their careers in the outside backs.
However, Dam was adamant the transition – making her first appearance in the back row off the bench last week and scoring a try in the process – would take shape effectively.
“It was definitely a surprise, but I think with the help of the girls out there they’re really good at communicating what they need from me,” Dam said.
“It’s definitely a tough transition on the fly, compared to your few tackles on the wing to jumping into the middle a few more times.
“She [Teitzel] told me the weekend it’s definitely a bit of a change, but she’s grown with confidence and really good in that position, so it’s really good to get advice from her.”
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