'Beyond a joke': NRL fans call for immediate rule change after Cowboys incident
Cowboys back Braidon Burns threw a wild pass that evaded Semi Valemei and went out the back and flew towards the in-goal area. However, the ball bounced and hit the Cowboys trainer running behind play.
The trainer had just entered the field for the first tackle and didn't expect the ball to go behind the Cowboys backline. But it did and play stopped after the players were left bewildered at what happens next.
To the astonishment of NRL fans, the referee ruled a mutual infringement and the Cowboys got a play-the-ball. This heavily favoured the Cowboys with the Eels potentially going to force a drop out if it didn't hit the trainer and a Cowboys player scooped it up near his own try line. Under the current NRL rules, the team in possession is given the ball if it hits a trainer in their defensive half, but it goes to the opposition if it occurs in the attacking half.
And fans have once again called for a change of rules surrounding trainers after the second incident in two weeks. Last week, a Panthers trainer copped a five-game ban for running across Jayden Campbell's line of sight when he was lining up a conversion with the Titans leading Penrith.
Much was made of the Panthers incident with the club copping criticism for previous trainer controversies in recent years. This isn't the first time the ball has ricocheted into a trainer either. During the 2019 NRL grand final, Roosters half Luke Keary had his kick charged down by Sia Soliola. The ball hit Soliola's head and incredibly ricocheted into a Roosters trainer's head 10 metres away. There was every chance a Raiders player was going to get to the ball first and make a break down the field, but play stopped and it benefited the Roosters.
The NRL's rules state that blue shirt trainers must be off the field after the fourth tackle. The rules also state that the trainers are only allowed on the field during stoppages, or to run messages to the team a maximum three times per half.
Furious NRL fans want rules around trainers changed
The Steeden bouncing into the Cowboys trainer was a freak accident. The trainer was following the rules and allowed on the field. Although it hasn't stopped fed up fans calling for an amendment to the rule to only allow staff on the field during breaks.
There are growing calls for trainers to only enter play when the ball goes out of play, a try is scored or during a general stoppage due to an injury. This would reduce the risk of trainers getting in the way again.
Others feel the 'mutual infringement' rule needs a change as well. The Cowboys were at a disadvantage during play when the ball hit the trainer, but were rescued with a play-the-ball thanks to the rule. Many fans feel regardless of how it occurs, if a ball hits your trainer on the field it should be a turnover to the opposition.
The NRL could be set to review a number of rules around trainers at the end of the season with two incidents in two weeks causing uproar. And fans feel the less we see of trainers on the field the better.
Let's get these trainers off the field @NRL pic.twitter.com/GFOMT4l9AT
— IMARoostàr🐓 (@IMAROOSTAR) August 10, 2025
Sorry what?!? And Cowboys get to play the ball, what a joke @NRL #NRLEelsCowboys pic.twitter.com/Fsd6mKZGje
— Hynesight (@Hynesight7) August 10, 2025
Can we seriously look at the trainers involvement on the field in the offseason. Result aside tonight its super annoying to look at when you watch games. The game will open up so much more without trainers. #nrleelscowboys #NRL
— Joseph (@JosephCasa3) August 10, 2025
Something needs to be done about @NRL trainersFirst, last week, now during the Parra game today...Ball was going in goal, and it hits the Cowboys trainer
— Sam Curro (@samcurr95262813) August 10, 2025
Ban the trainers from the field of play FFS. It's beyond a joke. Other contact sports would look at it and piss themselves laughing. It's beyond a joke. @nrl
— Chris (@TeddyCJD) August 10, 2025
NRL Trainers simply should never be on the field during any kind of general play unless there's a stoppage
— Cam Sánchez (@CamMagicMan) August 10, 2025
Andrew Voss calls for less trainer involvement
Veteran commentator Andrew Voss expressed his outrage last week following the Panthers incident against the Titans. Voss called for the NRL to implement a rule change around trainers that would eliminate many of the issues and frustrations from fans.
"Can we bring in a rule when a team passes 50 (halfway line), the trainer must get off the field?" Voss posed on SEN radio last week. "They don't need to be there after that. No one needs water and only in the case of an injury. The NRL need to make this change today."
On Sunday during the Eels and Cowboys game he said: 'Seriously, is there any need for the trainer to be out there so early in a set? What are we doing. Peter V'landys (ARL boss), you have work to do.'
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