Wayne Bennett, Greg Veivers back crackdown on high tackles

Legendary coach Wayne Bennett has praised the NRL chief Andrew Abdo’s move to erase high tackles from the game, likening it to the crackdown on fighting.

Rugby league mastercoach Wayne Bennett has backed the NRL’s push to rub high tackles out of the game, saying it is no different to the successful crackdown against fighting.

Bennett is a vocal supporter of the NRL’s move to focus on player safety.

“I have been a long-time advocate of this as player safety is something we have responsibility for. Yes, there are critics but it is the right thing to do and supporters will get used to the change just as they did when there was a clampdown on players throwing a punch,” he said.

“You don’t see that anymore and nobody misses it.”

Rugby league mastercoach Wayne Bennett backs the NRL’s push to stamp out high hits. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Bennett said that the NRL stance was good for the future of the game and for young players coming through the ranks.

“No mother wants to see her child knocked out on the field due to a dangerous high hit.”

Bennett said that it was recognised back when the game began in 1908 that the high tackles were dangerous.

“But nothing ever happened and finally we are seeing action,” he said.

Rugby League great Greg Veivers in 1975.

Former Australian captain Greg Veivers said he thought the crackdown would take time for people to get used to it but believed it was an “excellent” move for the game.

“The good thing is that for kids in particular more emphasis will be placed on coaches teaching them how to tackle correctly and that will permeate through the system,” he said.

Veivers, who represented Australia in seven World Cup matches from 1975 to 1977, said the game was undoubtedly rougher during his era but felt that rule changes over the years had only improved the sport.

“It’s been tidied up over the years progressively and it’s still a wonderful sport to play,” he said.

“Every sport has its part to play in making life safer for players, but no sport is without its injuries but I think if you look at soccer if you get more broken bones and sprains and injuries there than in league,” he said.

“Different sports will appeal to different people but the future of rugby league is first class … kids fall out of trees and are concussed and unfortunately there is not enough space for all of us to play marbles.”