How NRL’s revolutionary rule change works – and could play into one side’s hands

Broncos strike centre Kotoni Staggs believes the NRL’s revamped six-man bench still needs to ensure the 19 best players at each club garner selection, rather than be used to parachute fresh talent into the fold.

The new interchange system will still only enable four players to be subbed throughout a contest, but provide coaches the luxury of naming halves and outside backs as injury cover.

While Ben Hunt’s shift from the halves to hooker may give Brisbane less of a need to pick a reserve playmaker, Tom Duffy and Josh Rogers now loom as options.

Kotoni Staggs believes the new six-man bench should still ensure the top players available garner selection.Credit: Getty Images

Given Brisbane’s current wing battles includes premiership stars Josiah Karapani and Deine Mariner, as well as Jesse Arthars and Grant Anderson, one of the additional spots will likely go to them.

“I might get a rest now. It’s different, but it actually helps though – if your half goes down you’re going to have a half on the bench or an outside back, so it helps in different ways,” Staggs said.

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“But someone has to miss out and do extra contact before a game. I don’t think some of the boys will like that, but it’s something different and something new, so we’ll see how it goes.”

There may also be a heightened demand for back rowers to be 80-minutes competitors to free one usage for when chaos strikes or tactics need to shift.

Young players yet to earn their stripes could also be chosen as a way to ease them into the NRL, while coaches could elect for an energiser to be injected late in the game to target tiring defences.

But as he prepared to venture to England for the Broncos’ World Club Challenge clash with Hull KR, Staggs said regardless of the strategies at play, the best men available needed to be chosen.

“I think the level we play, you’re always going to pick the best team, no matter what,” Staggs said. “You never know, it depends on who we’re playing and whereabouts we are on the ladder.”

The club to benefit the most from this change could be Brisbane’s crosstown rivals, the Dolphins.

Coach Kristian Woolf faces a selection conundrum if his squad can hit full strength.

Two of his lock options at full strength – Max Plath and Kurt Donoghoe – have proven themselves NRL-quality No.13s, but also have the ability to cover the halves and hooker, with the latter also playing fullback at times.

Nine players – Thomas Flegler, Daniel Saifiti, Francis Molo, Morgan Knowles, Felise Kaufusi, Ray Stone, Sebastian Su’a, Plath and Donoghoe – will vie for spots in the middle rotation, and Woolf will be able to expand and his assess options depending on the context of the game.

Once Jack Bostock returns from a ruptured ACL, he will also factor into considerations despite the presence of Selwyn Cobbo and Jamayne Isaako on the wings. Former Panther Brad Schneider could support halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa, while Trai Fuller looms as an X-factor option.

Speaking as he announced a contract extension with the Dolphins through to the end of 2028, Donoghoe admitted he was still yet to figure out where his best position was, meaning he could find himself as the ultimate “Mr Fix-It” in the six-man bench era.

That versatility could also be his launchpad to a State of Origin debut for New South Wales.

“I wouldn’t mind playing lock, but I’m not too bothered at the moment. We’ve got a lot of depth and a lot of good players there,” Donoghoe said.

“[Origin] is a massive goal of mine. I grew up watching New South Wales and being through all the pain all those years [when Queensland won eight straight series].

“It’d mean a lot to me. I definitely wouldn’t look back if I got the opportunity.”

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