Josh McGuire says rugby league does not need an 18th man on standby in case of foul play

BRONCOS forward Josh McGuire doesn’t think rugby league should introduce an 18th man for players who have been laid low by head knocks.

Josh McGuire. The Brisbane Bronocs training at Red Hill. Pic Peter Wallis

BRONCOS and Queensland forward Josh McGuire says rugby league doesn’t need an 18th man to be added to teams in the event of losing players to head knocks.

Melbourne’s efforts to win in Canberra on Saturday after Billy Slater had been knocked out by a late, high tackle has stirred debate about teams being disadvantaged by having to finish a match with 16 players because of concussion.

Canberra forward Sia Soliola’s tackle on Slater was sent straight to the NRL judiciary tonight without a grading, with speculation that Soliola faces a ban of between four to six weeks.

Having an 18th man to bring on to replace a concussed player would even up the contest, but McGuire said such a system would be open to gamesmanship by teams.

McGuire says rugby league is a game of attrition.

“I don’t think there should be an 18th man rule — we are an endurance-based game and with an 18th man we’d start to see people staying down to use that role,’’ McGuire said.

“It’s a rule we don’t need. The game has so many rules and we have to appreciate the product we have got.

“We play a physical sport. Contact happens in a game.

“I think action should be taken on the field (against foul play). If Sia is not sent off, that’s the ref’s decision at the time.’’

Broncos halfback Ben Hunt says the option to have an 18th man could be looked at by the NRL.

“If someone goes off because of an illegal play like that, the team that lost such a star player shouldn’t really suffer from it,’’ Hunt said.

“The team doesn’t get anything. It’s one option but whether they should be sent off as well, I’m not too sure. I will leave that up to the NRL.’’

Hunt said he thought Soliola’s tackle warranted sending off.

“I thought it was a pretty bad one, but I’m not a referee,’’ he said.

McGuire sympathised with referees who have sent off only five players in the past five seasons.

“It’s hard because if you send someone off it’s a turning point in the game,’’ he said.

“There are circumstances it can be used but in today’s game I can understand why the referees are hesitant to use it.’’

Teams able to claim a concussion should rule a player out of the rest of a game would be able to effectively play a contest of 18 men against 17.

One reason an 18th man would be unwieldy is a team more often than not does not lose a player to concussion.

Over an extended period of time, a coach would have to rotate a number of players through an 18th-man spot to ensure players do not lose match practice, especially in NRL teams playing on Saturdays or Sundays.