Last week it was revealed that the NRL was considering reducing the number of interchanges from eight to six, so as to combat the game’s growing injury toll.
Serious injuries have reportedly increased this season, with 12 players suffering injuries which will keep them on the sidelines for extended periods, compared to just nine last year in the same period.
Speaking on NRL 360 last week, Paul Kent said in 2015, when ten interchanges were available, players missed 1018 games due to injury. In 2017, with eight interchanges, that number had dropped to 813.
Kent’s assumption was that “by taking continually fresh players out of the game, the game slows down and some of the high-impact injuries we’re seeing are not as prevalent”.
If the NRL is making this decision to prevent injury and we have empirical evidence that a reduction in interchanges will assist, then I completely understand, because player safety is of the utmost importance.
But ever since this potential change was floated, I’ve been baffled by suggestions that a reduction in interchanges will apparently bring back the ‘little man’.
I often hear that the way rugby league has developed means there is no longer a place for the little man.
Apparently this cry never reached the likes of Bevan French, Kayln Ponga, Anthony Milford or Damien Cook, who have been standouts this year, and who I would also class as ‘little’.
The little men of the past were often hookers that played off the bench, like PJ Marsh. If a decision is made to reduce interchanges, I’m not sure how this would help to bring back the little man. If anything, the majority of substitutions would be used by coaches to rotate their middle forwards with an additional player on the bench, most likely a utility, to cover in case of injury.
Surely that woud lead to fewer little men?
Additionally, a change to the interchange rules will not stall athlete development, which happens naturally. Players are bigger, stronger and have longer careers now than ten years ago. Reducing interchanges is not going to change this and nor should it.
As to suggestions fewer interchanges will bring fatigue back into the game which will reduce wrestling, third-man in and laying on opposition players – will it?
If players are more fatigued, they have less energy to wrestle and to make additional tackles, particularly as the third person in, but there are other considerations too.
In the past, my favourite cult figures in footy were the large forwards who would come off the bench for very short stints, like George Rose and Mark Tookey.
But these players are less prevalent now. Andrew Fifita played 60 minutes for the Cronulla Sharks on the weekend and Jason Taumololo is also capable of playing big minutes without being impacted by the levels of ‘fatigue’ which media commentators seem concerned about.
There have been some references to athletes who play for short periods and become robots. I’m struggling to come up with a list of these players and in fact, I would say that there has been a movement away from robotic footy to teams like the Storm and Warriors, who have been successful playing unstructured football.
With so many ex-players in commentary, there seems to be a desire among them to return the game to what it was like ‘back in their day’. But nostalgia often leads to people remembering the positives, while glossing over the negatives.
There are plenty of aspects worth looking at and improving, but I’ve enjoyed this year’s competition more than last year’s (and that’s even with my team sitting at the bottom of the ladder). Our game is definitely more entertaining, skilful and athletic than ten years ago, which I love.
This year in particular, I’ve appreciated the crackdown on penalties, welcomed the increase in sin bins and, most of all, the increase in points being scored from within a team’s 20-metre zone, which are partly due to these crackdowns when teams are defending their line.
The people in positions of influence in the media seem intent on calling crisis after crisis after crisis and insisting that the game is challenging to watch or suggesting fixes.
But while we should always strive to be better, I’m absolutely loving the footy this year. I don’t think a reduction in interchanges is going to revolutionise the way our coaches coach or the type of athlete our game appeals to.
As for bringing back the little guy, there’s absolutely no need to. Because he never ever left.
catcat
Roar Rookie
Its a big mans game. Smaller players need to be exceptional in skills and talent to make it.
Gray-Hand
Guest
That figure of 45 minutes of actual play is about average. There is a lot less ball-in-play time in rugby league and rugby union than you would think. It has pretty much always been that way. The bunker slows things down a bit more in recent decades, but before that, player should were usually a lot slower to restart after breaks in play. In league, Ball-in-play time has actually increase in recent years.
The Barry
Roar Guru
That’s true...I wonder how his playing weight compared at the start of his career to the end...?
Rellum
Roar Guru
Look at Alf when he started to when he finished. He was a rake in 87 and a full on muscle bound nugget in 02. He lived right through the transition to a full time professional game. When I think of a little guy I am thinking of a light stepping guy who can take on tired forwards, even not tired forwards.
Kangajets
Guest
Exactly right Mary There used be stacks of sub 6 foot players , back in the old days Did you ever see sterling play ?
Rellum
Roar Guru
If they amble they should be sent for another 10 mins and given a one match ban.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Q : Where have the NRL’s ‘little men’ gone? A : I'm pretty sure that they make up the Eels forward pack Mary! ;-)
Mike from Tari
Guest
Time wasting is a problem, the player sin binned just ambles towards the bench, in Smiths case just wait till they take off a forward to bring on a replacement to play hooker, then get off the field, now every person binned ambles off the field, these binned or sent off players should be sent to the nearest sideline or deadball line, doesn't matter if they have to walk around the field to get to their bench.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Langer and Toovey were exceptions even in their era though. It’s not like every team had a Toovey or a Langer. I don’t think you can say the little man has disappeared because there’s no one as short as Langer. Terry Lamb was only 1cm taller than Langer but was a lot more nuggety. There are quite a few players these days that are 170-175cm tall. It would be interesting to look at this in more detail. ABS stats are only as at 2011-12 and have avg height at 176cm, almost a cm taller than in 1995. There’s a few surveys suggesting avg male is now approx 177-178cm...
Albo
Guest
I'm with you on that one, Greg. Alfie should be included in the Broncos cap as he plays that sweeper role most of the match. I say keep the bums off the field unless invited on by the referee. The officials can surely adjudicate on the field & via technology if a player is in need of urgent attention, rather than a drink or some new instructions from above !
LITTLE MAN
Guest
Err Mary, I believe that the 'little men' we're talking about is the halfback. Under fatigue, more holes appear late in each half allowing the 'little men' to take advantage. How often do you see a playmaker make clean breaks at the moment? A smart half could sit back and wait. Show, show, show, show... and then bang.. GO! These days, it's all block plays and bombs. Limit the interchange and watch the class ooze to the top. AND yes the little man has disappeared. Players have gotten bigger, fitter and stronger ergo the halfback has gotten bigger, fitter and stronger but NOT more skillful. Bring the interchanges down and we'll start seeing talent scouts signing the smaller bloke instead of the guy with the big shoulders that can kick a long ball. FIN.
Eddie Otto
Roar Guru
You don't see too many Brett Hodgson, Preston Campbell or Matt Bowen type players any more. I think the interchange being reduced and less penalties would increase fatigue and maybe help the smaller guys. Having said that most NRL athletes these days are baulky and strong - even wingers and fullbacks.
Paul
Roar Guru
40 seconds for a goal line drop out? Most sides are ready after 20 and use the other time as a breather.
Forty Twenty
Guest
He's a good player, really good and small.
Sam
Guest
Is anyone old enough to remember the days of players on the bench coming on as replacements,and not as interchange players? Rugby League used to be a game of attrition....not any more,especially with all the stoppages during a game and time wasting that gives players time to get their breath back (90 seconds to take a shot at goal????). It’s not a question of giving the so-called ‘little men’ a chance to exploit the 10 minutes before HT & FT,reducing the recovery time is the key,ie, less time wasted in between plays.
kk
Guest
All the little men have gone in search of that big fella, Israel.
Nat
Roar Guru
You could write an article each day on the theories of the Fox talking heads. Not to say they know nothing of the game but they have so much air time to fill that any speculation becomes a 7 minute talking point justified by loose associations. Remember when the last interchange reduction in 2015 was going to make the big man obsolete? Introducing a shot clock would stop time wasting? Now that is the biggest area of concern. A team gives away a few goal-line penalties, the ref stops play for 30 secs to warn the Captain. Why do injuries not in the area of play stop the game? I read an artcile not long ago that a Cronulla game only had 45mins of actual play. The small guy has always controlled the game but if you want open the game up and introduce fatigue, speed the game up.
Greg
Guest
If they want to increase fatigue it's simple - ban the water boys. So sick of being at a game and every time a team gets the ball a bloke in a bright shirt runs onto the field. Then when the other team gets the ball out comes another bloke in a bright shirt. You can't really see it on tv but when you're at the game it's really annoying and distracting. Ban the water boys and up goes fatigue.
Gray-Hand
Guest
176cm might not be big, but it’s not little by any stretch. In fact it’s probably just slightly on the taller side of average Australians male height. Allan Langer at 5’5 and Geoff Toovey at 5’6 were little men. There aren’t really any players that size anymore.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I think scrums should be replaced by a change over and offside become a differential penalty unless repeated infringements require a penalty for a professional foul and a sin bin. Quick taps need to be allowed to be quick taps, not hold every one up to get ready. There is loads of things we can speed up.