ARL Commission has approved an 18th man from round 5

The ARL Commission will introduce an 18th man from round five after a clamour from clubs and players

Jake Friend is attended to by Roosters trainers after a head knock at the SCG.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys wants the clubs and their doctors to keep taking head knocks seriously. Hence the decision to allow clubs to use an 18th man as a concussion replacement from next week.

“We’re appreciative of the fact that clubs are taking a much harder approach on head injury assessments because the players welfare is No. 1,” V’landys said.

“One of the things I try to do is keep an open mind. The voices I was hearing loud and cloud were that it was a good thing that the HIAs were being taken seriously and there was a more measured approach to it.

“We want that to continue. We want them to continue taking a cautious approach and one way we can be assured of that is with an 18th man.

“That is the main reason it has been brought in. I want the players not to take risks with concussion.

“All fans agree we don’t want to see a situation where a club is left with one player on the bench and this rule change will provide insurance for all clubs.

“It will also only be activated in the most dire of circumstances for a club, so we don’t see it having a material impact on games every week. But you have to find a way that people don’t take advantage of it.”

The ARL Commission bowed to pressure from the players union and clubs on Tuesday morning as they confirmed an 18th man — most likely an emerging player — would become part of the game’s fabric.

Further talks with the players union, clubs and coaches in coming days will determine over the definition of an emerging player. The NRL has also agreed to meet the travel costs of the 18th man, although history suggests they will rarely be used.

Over recent seasons, the rules around an 18th man would mean that it would have only been used on one occasion.

“This is a dynamic environment,” V’landys said. “As a commission we have always said we would be agile in changing rules when it is in the best interests of the game and this is one of those examples.

“We see this as an opportunity to give an emerging player a taste of first-grade rugby league in their team’s time of need.

“The 18th player will also have to be rotated weekly so you don’t have a young player missing out on playing lower grades every week.”

The decision to introduce an 18th man follows a weekend like few others in the NRL. The casualty ward was long and littered with stars.

The concussion count was in double figures. Bodies were battered, bruised and broken. The players union insisted the game had to act.

So too some of the game’s most prominent coaches and players. The commission ultimately agreed, although the 18th man only comes into effect when three players have been ruled out through concussion.

Unlike the AFL, which introduced a medical replacement for the start of their season, the extra man in the NRL will only apply to cases of concussion.

In the AFL, it applies to any game-ending injury. The NRL policy reinforces the delicate nature of concussion.

The issue has the commission and the clubs running scared. Class actions have commenced in other codes, but the NRL has thus far avoided legal action despite some law firms beating the drum.

At the same time, the commission is balancing the desire to make the game more attractive for the fans. The rule changes have quickened the game, but prompted suggestions it has made the code more dangerous as a result.

Some players have complained that the game has become too fast. Others, including Rugby League Players Association general president Daly Cherry-Evans, suggest it is up to the players themselves to adapt.

The commission is reserving their judgment until they see more information.

Meanwhile, Ivan Cleary wants the NRL to consider bringing back scrums, claiming the new rules are contradictory to the game’s mission to promote attacking footy.

The Panthers coach has called for the NRL to analyse the success of the new rules after round six with consideration to reverting to scrums for when the football is taken over the sideline.

Cleary added that the new rule that resulted in a play-the-ball restart — instead of a scrum — after the ball or player finds touch did nothing but create an advantage for the defensive side to “bash” the ball-carrier.

Scrums, Cleary said, were an ‘art’ which gave the attacking side freedom to move and less defenders in the line.

“I don’t think it’s (rule changes) had the effect that maybe they (NRL) were hoping,’’ Cleary said. “At the moment, if you’re struggling a bit, you can kick the ball out and the team that kicks it out, gets the advantage by then having a completely straight defensive line ready to bash the first carry.

“I don’t think that’s how it should be. If you can get your defensive line set, after being on the back foot at your own end, why wouldn’t you kick it into touch?

“I thought we wanted to keep the ball in play, don’t we?’’