100% this rule change needs to happen. With the number of head knocks that don't qualify to activate the 18th man, or standard injuries, it make sense for teams to carry an outside back on the bench.
Coaches are hesitant to carry an outside back as the 2 middle, middle/2nd row and bench hooker/utility rotation has been proven (for non-injury impacted games) for years now.
Sure, in most games they won't be used but how many games recently have teams lost a winger/centre early.
Even if they just cover the mandatory 15 minutes HIA assessment period.
I do like the way it is currently setup, because it requires some form of thought from the coaches. Take NSW for instance, if Freddy had a 5 player bench then he's carrying his two hookers and Hynes/Crichton, and there's no decisions to be made.
I think if we just start pushing up the number of players on the bench, then we'll see very stock standard benches moving forward... OR teams will be looking to push the limit by going 1 bench hooker, 3 middles, 1x utility (forward/center)... and there'll be complaints that an extra number is required again to cover halves/fullbacks... until we end up like union with like 7 players on the bench to cover all areas
I'd just consider increasing the opportunity to use the 18th or 19th man... allowing them to be activated whenever and for whatever reason inside the first 30mins or first half, but the player they are replacing cannot return to the game and the interchange of the player is like normal (i.e. HIA's and foul player subs are still free, but a normal sub because the player shit the bed or got injured still costs you an interchange).
If you lose a key spine player or outside back due to injury in the first 5mins or so, then you can at least take them off and have an 18th/19th man sitting there ready to go... but beyond the first half the rules remain as they are i.e. can't be activated unless they cop 2 HIA's (excluding any subbed off for an activation in the first half) or foul play leading to HIA. Other than that cannot be activated... this would prevent having a field goal specialist or 'pinch hitter' sitting there to bring on fresh with 5mins to go.
I could see teams exploiting this by making their 18th man the backup hooker and subbing off their 9 every game at 30mins in, but if they're subbing off due to HIA then enforce the fucking 11-day stand down i.e. you are diagnosing the player with a concussion so **** the Cat 1 or Cat 2, you are admitting the player copped a concussion so they're out next week. If you are doing it this way then they're potentially sacrificing 2 players in the game to get a 19th pinch hitter onto the field (i.e. needing 2x HIA's in the half/game), because they will be standing down for 11 days regardless of what happens in the days following.
If they are just doing it because they don't want to bring their 9 back on, then that's a risk they run with, because that player cannot return.
