He might be preparing to coach the Dolphins in their opening NRL season during 2023, but that doesn't mean Wayne Bennett wasn't paying close attention to this weekend's games.
The head injury assessment rules have come under the spotlight over the weekend for numerous perceived inconsistencies.
Trent Robinson hit out at Victor Radley being removed from the Sydney Roosters clash with the Newcastle Knights despite having no symptoms by a bunker doctor, while the Canterbury Bulldogs are set to come under NRL questioning over their decision on Jeremy Marshall-King, who appeared to have a shoulder injury, but was taken from the field for a HIA test.
Speaking on Triple M, Bennett said clubs are manipulating the rules, and that clubs have brought having a doctor in the bunker with an ability to take players out of games on themselves.
“The game is trying to do the right thing but they don’t need someone in the bunker if the coaches and the clubs and the trainers are all committed to making sure no one is on the field that’s been concussed," Bennett said.
“I’d like to see the game take the clubs on instead of putting bandaids on them.”
Bennett said instances like Radley's prove a bunker doctor is needed, however, commented that Jeremy Marshall-King's incident was "hysterical."
“The clubs have got a duty of care, they talk about a duty of care but none of them practice it and they have a duty of care to their players, I mean look at Victor Radley,” Bennett said.
“Anyone that saw that incident knew he was knocked out, how he got knocked out I don’t care, I have seen enough players go down with concussion, he certainly was concussed.
“The other one that was just hysterical actually was the Canterbury player at the end of the game there, he had to be convinced he was knocked out by the trainer.
“He was no more knocked out than I am sitting here right now but he was trying to work out why he was doing a concussion test.
“That is what I am more dirty about, is the fact that they use that when everyone is tired and exhausted,” Bennett said.
“Both teams had given a lot in that game and there was nothing in the scoreboard, both teams were just waiting for an opportunity.
“These guys are trained to recover in two or three minutes, and they can go again and that’s what they bought, they bought three or four minutes from this facade of making out someone was knocked out when there wasn’t.”
He’s right – it’s obvious to Blind Freddy, but not to Graham Annesley.
It’s a shame that NRL rule changes are seemingly concocted by a small group who talk just to each other. If the proposed rule changes were released for review and comment before they were cast in stone, then the worst changes could probably be avoided.
We should welcome Wayne having a 12-month sabbatical. It gives him the freedom to speak his mind on poor processes and cheating, when he is not in the position of being forced to practise them himself for his team to remain competitive.