Knights coach Nathan Brown calls on NRL to overhaul grading system

NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown has called for an overhaul of the grading system, fining players for foul play rather than suspending them from big games.

NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown has called on the NRL to consider fines for minor grade one offences rather than suspensions or points loadings that could lead to players missing big games like a State of Origin or a grandfinal.

And he claims a complete overhaul of the entire grading system should be at the top of the game’s “to do” list at the end of the season.

The Knights are the most heavily suspended club in the NRL this season with backrower Mitch Barnett the latest player to cop a ban.

He will miss the next two matches after taking the early guilty plea for a shoulder charge on Sharks prop Andrew Fifita last Sunday, the 10th suspension suffered by the club this season.

While Brown has no beef with many of the decisions of the match review committee in relation to his team, he said consistency and the “grey areas” surrounding gradings needed to be looked at across the board.

“Earlier in the year, we had a number of charges that we had to put our hands up for which were down to tackle technique and tackle selection by players adapting to the pace of the game which hurt us,” he said.

“But then last week, we were a little bit stiff with a few rulings.

“We lost Jake Mamo for a week for a very similar incident that David Mead (Titans) wasn’t even charged for. You just want some consistency and I feel there is not a lot of it about at the minute.”

Brown said the uncertainty and fairness surrounding the grading system remains a big issue for the game.

“It concerns everyone in the game the grey areas in the gradings,” he said. “At the moment, I think a grade 1 shoulder charge is 200 points and a careless grade three high tackle is like 100 points.

“The whole grading system needs a real good look at. The rules can be written to make it a lot easier for the match review committee.”

Brown believes the English Super League system of fining players for minor offences is something the NRL should strongly consider.

“I know we have to police foul play but we should also be doing what we can to encouraging leaving players on the field,” he said.

“In England where I last coached, that type of grade one charge ended up being a fine.

“The player actually got fined rather than miss a game. Here, when a player gets suspended, the club is the one that wears the brunt of it as well.

“There could be a fine system introduced that I thought worked well in England for the lesser charges where people aren’t getting hurt. Players don’t like getting hit in the pocket either.”

Originally published as Knights coach Nathan Brown calls on NRL to overhaul grading system