- Wayne Bennett has called for urgent changes to the NRL
- He feels that the bunker has to disappear and the refereeing has to improve.
- Bennett spoke out amid grave fears “for the game he loves”
Super coach Wayne Bennett questioned the relevance of the NRL bunker before criticizing the level of officiating, stating: “if I were a punter I couldn’t bet a penny on rugby league right now.”
Bennett, 74, also wants the san bin abolished and deportation rules changed.
“I have to defend the players and the game that I have been a part of and loved my entire life,” the Dolphins head coach said. Fox Sports.
“We can’t hide and pretend it’s not a problem… (refereeing) is causing enormous frustration, not only among players and coaches, but also among fans.”
Bennett, who will return to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2025, pointed out glaring inconsistencies in NRL games in recent weeks.
He said four of his Dolphins players were hit in the head in the past two weeks and in each case no penalty was called.
In one game, a doctor deemed star center Herbie Farnworth to have suffered a concussion, so he was taken off the field for a head injury evaluation (HIA).
On the contrary, the referee accused the English international of pretending to be injured on the field.
NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett has questioned the relevance of the bunker and criticised the standard of officiating.
Dolphins head coach Wayne Bennett also wants the tackle ban eliminated and ejection rules changed.
Bennett felt compelled to speak out because he fears for the future of the code if the changes are not implemented (pictured, a Dolphins home game at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane)
Bennett’s proposed solution was simple: if any player receives a hit to the head, unless it is clearly accidental, then it should be a penalty.
The super coach, who has won seven NRL titles since 1992 with the Broncos, wasn’t done yet.
He wants the sin-bin to be eliminated entirely, and if a player is ejected, teams can call up a replacement player after 10 minutes.
Bennett also suggested that the ejection should cost the offending team three exchanges, while the player who received an early shower should not return to the competition.
Areas of the NRL that Bennett admires include the salary cap and the strength of the 17-team competition.