Calls for NRL rule change after second Panthers trainer involved in alleged breach

Yahoo

3 days ago

A second Panthers trainer is facing scrutiny over a passage of play in the lead-up to Nathan Cleary's game-levelling field goal against the Titans, sparkling calls for the NRL to implement an immediate rule change. Penrith have already been dealt a blow after their golden point triumph over Gold Coast, with the club copping a whopping $50,000 fine and trainer Corey Bocking slapped with a five-game ban for running in front of Titans playmaker Jayden Campbell before he took a shot at goal.
But a second incident involving one of Penrith's trainers has since come to light, with vision showing Shane Elford appearing to flout NRL rules in the lead-up to Cleary's two-point field goal that sent the game into extra time. NRL 360 ran the footage on Tuesday night's program which showed Elford - wearing his blue trainers top - running instructions to Panthers players right up until the decisive kick after the fifth tackle.
The NRL's rules state that blue shirt trainers must be off the field after the fourth tackle, meaning he shouldn't have been out there in the first place. 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.
But Elford - who caused uproar earlier this year after being caught spraying the ball with water before a kick-off - seemed to violate those rules on Saturday. The fresh incident led to an explosive debate on Tuesday night's NRL 360 program, with veteran league journalist Paul Crawley describing Elford's actions as 'an up yours' to the NRL rules.
'This is Shane Elford out on the field, the Panthers trainer,' Crawley said as they rolled the vision of the incident. 'They've got to be off by tackle four. And he's stayed on for every tackle, and stayed on for tackle five as Nathan's lined up for the field goal."
"This is a stuff you to the NRL rules. They couldn't care less what the rules are."Paul Crawley discusses another instance of the Panthers trainer stretching the rules.📺 Watch #NRL360 on @Foxtel CH 502 or stream on @kayosports: https://t.co/NUcyGh33g4 pic.twitter.com/KPJHar7t5b
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 5, 2025
The panel noted that Elford was even seen waving players into position and trying to direct them around the park, seconds before Cleary's field goal. The fact the incident came moments after Penrith's other trainer Bocking ran in front of Campbell before his shot at goal, left Crawley an incredulous Crawley demanding action from the NRL.
'He's finally got to the sideline right at the end and he hasn't stopped giving his messages the whole way. So this is minutes after (the Bocking incident)," Crawley continued. 'You know what this is?' This is an up yours, a stuff you, to the NRL rules. They couldn't care less what the rules are.
'So the NRL's response to this is that it's up to the ground manager to enforce this but if the ground manager misses it, bloody enforce it afterwards. It shows the arrogance of their trainers at the moment.'
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Veteran commentator Andrew Voss also expressed his outrage, and called on 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 on Wednesday morning. "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."
NRL explains Penrith's huge sanction after latest trainer drama
Elford was fined $10,000 earlier this season after being caught squirting water on the ball during a clash with North Queensland. And it's the repeated infractions from Penrith's trainers that led the NRL to slap the club with such a heavy sanction for Bocking's offence.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo revealed it was the sixth offence from a Panthers trainer in five seasons, with Bocking banned until the finals series. The $50,000 fine was also Penrith's single biggest up-front sanction since they breached Covid biosecurity measures.
Penrith have claimed Bocking's actions were an honest mistake but Titans player and most fans are refusing to buy that explanation. And the NRL CEO admitted it had no bearing on their sanctions anyway.
"The breach of the rules is not a consideration of whether someone is doing something intentionally or not and we're not questioning the integrity of the club," he said. "This is a simple rule and that rule has been broken, whether it was by accident or not, it's a breach."
It not a stuff you to the NRL because the NRL allows them to do it. When you know that there will be no consequences you are going to do whatever you want. Penref know this which is why they will continue to push the envelope
— Rabbitoh Robert (@RabbitohRobert) August 5, 2025
This huge pet peeve of mine and it's not panthers specific. Every single club has this especially the bigger clubs and it drives me crazy
— Limas (@0xLimas) August 5, 2025
This shouldn't be allowed, but trying to single out Penrith is laughable, literally every team does this. Alfie was famous for it…
— Tim (@Tim_Tam98_) August 5, 2025