Wayne Bennett has reinforced his call for the NRL to introduce a single trading window in the wake of mooted changes to when off-contract players can negotiate and sign with other clubs.
The Dolphins coach has also questioned the "fanfare" surrounding the decision of Sydney Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to sign with Rugby Australia from 2025 and backed the Roosters' handling of the situation.
News Corp reported this week a change the NRL was proposing to the RLPA on player movement via three transfer windows, dependant on a player's experience.
Off-contract players with six years experience would be free to negotiate with rivals a year in advance from November 1, the current deadline. Those with three to five years would be able to do so from April 1 the following year and rookies to two-year players from June 30.
Bennett was unimpressed when asked about the plan.
"I don't get it. I'd like to see a trading window and I'd like to see players stop moving halfway through the season to any club they want to," Bennett said.
"They are the hard decisions but we are obviously not going to make the hard decisions. We are going to make some soft ones.
"We've got players playing for us one day and the next day playing for another club. All the sports in the world seem to have it under control except us.
"It is not a good look for the game. It is an area where we have got to be a lot stronger in."
The AFL has a player movement window that opens in October each year after the grand final where players who qualify as free agents can join other clubs, while other players move via trade deals.
Deals are often all but agreed in the background before that window but they are not ratified and announced until after the end of the season.
As far back as 2010 Bennett was calling for a similar system in the NRL to bring order to the chaos of player movement.
Canterbury supremo and commentator Phil Gould recently said Suaalii should leave rugby league immediately after signing with a rival code, a view Roosters coach Trent Robinson said was "ridiculous" before adding he was comfortable with the 19-year-old's decision and backed him to keep firing for the team until the end of next year. Bennett agreed with Robinson.
"The young man is entitled to do what he wants to do. It his prerogative. Good luck to him," he said.
"He's made his decision so let's get on with life ... let him go to rugby without all the fanfare and fuss. I don't get what the carry-on has been about."
In February 2001, then Brisbane winger Wendell Sailor announced he'd signed with the ARU for the following year.
Bennett picked Sailor for Queensland in that year's State of Origin series and played him in every game for the Broncos.
"That was only because he begged me to," Bennett joked, before making his point.
"They've got the right to do that ... and we shouldn't criticise that. Lote (Tuqiri) went from us (to rugby) as well.
"Obviously the Roosters want (Suaalii) to stay on and be one of their star players and I don't disagree with that at all. That's their prerogative."
