Supercoach Wayne Bennett explains why Aussies would be mad to bet a single cent on the NRL: ‘I have to speak up for the game I love’
- Wayne Bennett has called for urgent changes in the NRL
- Thinks the Bunker should go, referees should improve
- Bennett spoke out amid serious fears ‘for the game he loves’
Supercoach Wayne Bennett has questioned the relevance of the NRL Bunker before criticizing the standard of refereeing, declaring: ‘If I was a punter I couldn’t bet a penny on rugby league right now.’
Bennett, 74, also wants the penalty bench to be abolished and the rules for farewell amended.
“I have to stand up for 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…it [officiating] causes enormous frustration, not only among the players and coaches, but also among the fans.’
Bennett, who will return to the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2025, pointed to glaring inconsistencies in NRL matches in recent weeks.
He said four of his Dolphins players have suffered head injuries in the past two weeks, and in neither case has a penalty been awarded.
In one game, a doctor felt that star center Herbie Farnworth had a concussion, so he was removed from the field for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA).
The referee, on the other hand, accused the England international of pretending to be injured on the pitch.
NRL super coach Wayne Bennett has questioned the Bunker’s relevance and criticized the standard of refereeing
Dolphins head coach Wayne Bennett also wants to see the penalty box abolished and the waving rules changed
Bennett felt compelled to speak out because he fears for the future of the code if changes are not made (pictured at a Dolphins home game at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane)
Bennett’s proposed solution was simple: if a player is hit in the head, unless it is clearly accidental, it should be a penalty.
The supercoach – who has won seven NRL premierships dating back to 1992 with the Broncos – wasn’t done yet.
He wants the ‘sinbin’ to be abolished altogether and for teams to be able to call up a replacement player after 10 minutes if a player is sent off.
Bennett also suggested that the offending team should be given three substitutions if he were sent off, and that the player who was allowed to shower earlier would not be allowed to take part in the match again.
Bennett admires, among other things, the salary cap and the strength of the league, which consists of 17 teams.