James Graham: Canterbury Bulldogs prop calls for more players on NRL benches

[playon]

CANTERBURY forward James Graham wants the NRL to consider adding players to the interchange bench, believing rugby league’s current replacement restrictions are hurting teams’ chances of winning.

The NRL has promised to investigate a reduction from 10 to possibly 8 interchanges for the 2016 competition as a way to negate the increasing speed of the game, but Graham insisted other options need to be canvassed.

The Bulldogs front-rower believes too many clubs are disadvantaged by losing a player to injury in a game and it is particularly damaging when it is someone in a specialist position such as hooker or in the halves.

Graham said the NRL should look at other sports such as football where teams have a variety of options on the bench but can only use a set number for the duration of the game.

“I think most teams play with eight (interchanges) and then have two up their sleeve anyway,” Graham said.

“Maybe if they reduced it to eight I don’t think it would make that much of a difference.

“I don’t like seeing players go off injured … I like the idea of a muted 18th man or whether you have five players on the bench but you can only use four.”

The idea of an 18th man was discussed by several coaches last year, who were upset at losing a player to concussion or foul play and then being disadvantaged for the remainder of the game with one less player on their bench.

Graham said the major advantage of his idea would be the ability of coaches to have specialists available if a key position were injured.

“I personally don’t like it say when a fullback goes off and you’ve got the winger there and someone has to move. It can really disjoint the team,” he said.

“If the halfback goes off you need someone to change roles. I really don’t like that and it adds a lot of pressure on the boys moving position and I think you don’t have the best players playing that position and to me it’s a problem easily fixed.”


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s-on-nrl-benches/story-fni3g67w-1227220573550

 

[marsh43]

Thats why he's KING JAMES. Good idea. 5/6 man bench but only allowed to use 4 players. That way you can alter your gameplan on the go incase of injury/send offs etc

 

[Vargster]

Would also be interesting if in the 65th minute your team was up by 20 points and you can send on a junior to get some playing time and experience.

 

[finchie]

Watever jammer says i support 100%
id prefer the 5 man bench (18th man) but only allowed to use the 4 sub players.

 

[Bad Billy]

Sould've always been the case.
Its funny that they do it in soccer, when really, pretty much all of them can play anywhere (except keeper) but we dont do it in footy where positions are much more specialised and injuries are more prevelant. (well real injuries, anyway)

 

[c-b-b]

There are positives and negatives to the idea as it would change the way interchange is used.

How long would you leave it before using your 4th player, if you used all 4 and theres an injury in the 60th minute you're still in same position where you can't use the 18th player.

Also does that 5th interchange play NSW cup and also possibly first grade or just sit there as 18th man.

You'd also need very versatile utility for the purpose (someone capable of playing 6,7,9 or 1,6,7)

I like the thinking but there's a lot of work to be done to fine tune it.

 

[Freakzilla]

I personally think it should be 7 reserves and once a player goes off he can't come back on. That means every team gets only 7 interchanges a match.

 

[dog whisperer]

There are positives and negatives to the idea as it would change the way interchange is used.

How long would you leave it before using your 4th player, if you used all 4 and theres an injury in the 60th minute you're still in same position where you can't use the 18th player.

Also does that 5th interchange play NSW cup and also possibly first grade or just sit there as 18th man.

You'd also need very versatile utility for the purpose (someone capable of playing 6,7,9 or 1,6,7)

I like the thinking but there's a lot of work to be done to fine tune it.

I think it's a great idea, i don't think there is alot of work to be done to fine tune it, maybe a little but not alot. Even if you used the 4 players and you get an injury at least for the majority of the game(before you use your 4th player) you had the 18th man option, it's better than not having that option at all.

The interchange player could be from NSW Cup or from U'20's who have already played their games or are going to play their games. No big deal there, it used to happen back in the old days, a player used to play a full reserve grade game and then be on the bench for first grade.

The 18th man doesn't have to be versatile at all. You could put a 6 or 7 there to cover your most important position on the field. You could put a hooker there if you want, the coach will asses it depending on the strengths and weaknesses of his squad. Even if you are limited in your options, it's still better than having no 18th man at all. Better still if you had 6 on the bench, you can have one hooker and one halfback.

All in all, what a great suggestion by Graham. Shows how much he thinks outside of the square.

 

[Wolfmother]

Reading between the lines , Graham believes the loss of Ennis cost them the Grand Final.

 

[Malla]

Reading between the lines , Graham believes the loss of Ennis cost them the Grand Final.

My thoughts exactly. Also a direct link to Hodko getting injured in the Manly game and carrying that through the finals, with Reynolds also damaging his shoulder in the GF.

 

[Izzy Forreal]

The Bulldogs front-rower believes too many clubs are disadvantaged by losing a player to injury in a game and it is particularly damaging when it is someone in a specialist position such as hooker or in the halves.

Right on the money Jammer. I can remember when General Patten and Bryson Goodwin had to leave the game early in a knock out semi against Parramatta. They were both kneed in the head, the referees let both offences go through to the keeper and the Bulldogs were gone.

Would also be interesting if in the 65th minute your team was up by 20 points and you can send on a junior to get some playing time and experience.

Very interesting cos the young gun would know that he was on the field to back himself and give it his best shot. Guys like Adam Elliott, David Minute, Matt Frawley and Lindon McGrady could excel in that circumstance.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Would prevent cheapshot merchants like Napa taking blokes out knowing it'll reduce the bench too!

NRL covering the article as well.
http://www.nrl.com/graham-ponders-interchange-tweaks/tabid/10874/newsid/83863/default.aspx

James Graham for NRL CEO when he retires from playing??

 

[Izzy Forreal]

Would prevent cheapshot merchants like Napa taking blokes out knowing it'll reduce the bench too!

NRL covering the article as well.
http://www.nrl.com/graham-ponders-interchange-tweaks/tabid/10874/newsid/83863/default.aspx

James Graham for NRL CEO when he retires from playing??

Ah yes, Dylan Napa. The thug I'd most like to see get belted hard and often.

 

[Rodzilla]

how about an 8 man bench but once you go off and get replaced, you must stay off, or only 1 man for 1 time can go back on

 

[marsh43]

how about an 8 man bench but once you go off and get replaced, you must stay off, or only 1 man for 1 time can go back on

I personally think it should be 7 reserves and once a player goes off he can't come back on. That means every team gets only 7 interchanges a match.

Pretty much the way the Rugby bench is used. Once subbed, thats game over for you.

 

[Dingo]

Smaller players are most dangerous late in halves and would have to be careful not to overload the bench so big fat forwards can be pulled off at first sign of fatigue. I do agree with 5 or 6...maybe

 

[Dingo]

Reading between the lines , Graham believes the loss of Ennis cost them the Grand Final.

Nah more like Des expecting Moses to play 80 min at Hooker without Reni as a back up off the bench. Tim Browne was a waste of a space. O well manly love dies hard

 

[sgodllubsti]

i see merit to what hes saying, but would only agree on a substitute being used if a player was lost to an actof foul play where a player has been reported or sin binned, simple injuries can happen, if what james is saying was to happen, then players who cant handle one of his front on tackles and comes out of it bad then they get a free ride with a substitute and that then is an unfair advantage to the other team

 

[Chris Harding]

how about an 8 man bench but once you go off and get replaced, you must stay off, or only 1 man for 1 time can go back on

That used to be the rule, although with a smaller bench. It was changed to speed the game up. Don't see them going back there.

 

[Rodzilla]

That used to be the rule, although with a smaller bench. It was changed to speed the game up. Don't see them going back there.

they are thinking about reducing interchanges, so they sort of do want to go back there, they are always thinking about ways to bring the smaller guys back into play, and if you force your big guys to stay on the field for longer then it will open up the game for the smaller players plus it will help with the concussion situation, players in trouble wont be allowed back into the game anyway, no more bullshit concussion test and concussion speculation

edit: thinking about it some more, that rule would be the perfect way to protect players, if a player must go off for a check up then the only way for him to get back into the game would be to not replace him and play with 12 men, so that produces a natural disadvantage and it is better to replace him (the current rule set means it is vitally important to get him back that night or else play with a 3 man bench)