A week ago most of us had never even heard of Corey Bocking—now the disgraced Penrith trainer is one of the most talked-about figures in rugby league.
Slapped with a $50,000 fine and five-match suspension for his actions in the Panther’s extra-time win over the Gold Coast Titans, Bocking seems destined to become the lightning rod for long overdue change when it comes to the behaviour of NRL trainers.
As tends to be the case with most things in rugby league, opinions on Bocking’s actions—and the penalties subsequently handed out by the NRL—are divided.
But whether you think he strolled in front of Jayden Campbell on purpose, or it was nothing more than an innocent mistake, it can’t be undone and the fall-out is only just beginning.
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No-one would deny NRL trainers play an important role in player welfare, but as we all know, they’ve also been pushing the on-field boundaries for decades.
Now, the widespread outrage at Bocking’s actions has thrust the behaviour of trainers so brightly into the media spotlight that the game’s powerbrokers have no choice but to act.
“The NRL Rules permitting Club trainers onto the field will be monitored and strictly enforced,” declared the NRL stridently when handing down Brocking’s penalty on Monday.
Let’s hope they follow through.
Calling attacks, setting defensive lines, surreptitiously getting in the referee’s ear, disrupting the flow of the game with phantom treatment, wetting footballs and even kicking them away from opposing players to waste time—it’s far more than just running water bottles and magic sponges.
Former Brisbane great Alfie Langer was one of the all-time master trainers, at times it was like having a second halfback or coach on the field for the Broncos, but he was certainly far from alone.
The rules of rugby league state it is a game of 13 versus 13—not 14.
Brocking’s suspension provides the perfect excuse for the NRL to say ‘enough is enough’ and rein in the ability for trainers to influence matches.
Every NRL fan should be thankful to him for that.