18th man debate: NRL competition committee considers stats as it considers extra man for foul play

A GAME-CHANGING call to introduce an 18th man for acts of foul play is set for intense scrutiny when the NRL competition committee meet this week to debate the burning issue.

An 18th man could be introduced for cases of foul-play-induced concussions. Picture: Gregg Porteous

• NRL may allow 18th player on bench to deal with concussion crisis
• Knights coach Brown calls on NRL to allow extra bench players

A GAME-CHANGING call to introduce an 18th-man for acts of foul play is set for intense scrutiny when the NRL competition committee meet this week to debate the burning issue.

At League Central on Wednesday the committee will analyse crucial foul-play figures from 643 matches since 2014, which have been obtained by The Sunday Telegraph.

Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown has led a vocal campaign for an 18th player to be included on the interchange bench and used in incidents where a player can no longer return to the field due to an act of foul-play or concussion.

Knights coach Nathan Brown has led the calls for an 18th man. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Not all coaches are eager for change with Brisbane’s Wayne Bennett recently dismissing the 18th-man proposal.

“We will lose a player then another and people will say ‘we need 19’ — there’s no end to it,” Bennett said last month.

“The bottom line is we have a good system in place and it protects the players.”

An 18th man could be introduced for cases of foul-play-induced concussions. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

Interestingly, at last year’s NRL coaches conference the introduction of an 18th man was raised, but gained little traction among the game’s best thinkers, who openly conceded it would increase the possibility of fatigued players feigning injury or concussion, in order to be replaced by the fresh 18th man.

The competition committee includes Michael Maguire and Trent Robinson, Storm captain Cameron Smith, former head coach John Lang, former Test captain Darren Lockyer, NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and ARL chairman John Grant.

In order to provide data for consideration by the committee, a survey period of 643 matches between 2014 and the present was undertaken by the NRL.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett isn’t a fan of the idea. Picture: Annette Dew

From 374 instances over the past four seasons where a player was placed on report, 39 players — or just over 10 per cent — did not return to the field.

However, the figures don’t include players who were responsible for an act of foul play, forcing their opposition from the field, but escaped being placed on report yet were later charged by the match review committee.

“I like the idea of an extra man, particularly for foul play,’’ Test coach Mal Meninga said. “If you lose a player because of foul play, there’s got to be some sort of incentive for the team that was offended against. I also don’t mind the idea of only playing with three reserves and the 17th man being a reserve for foul play.”