EXCLUSIVE: Phil Gould Urges NRL to Scrap Bye Round Points Amid ‘Absurd’ Ladder Controversy

League legend Phil Gould has urged the NRL to eliminate the awarding of premiership points to teams during bye weeks, citing the ongoing confusion with team standings on the ladder.

As round 17 concluded, several clubs had already played their three bye rounds, while others had completed two, and many still had just one left. This discrepancy means teams that have already taken their byes are benefitting from a total of six additional competition points, artificially boosting their positions on the ladder beyond what their win-loss records would indicate.

Both the Bulldogs and Storm have each taken three byes and currently occupy second and third place respectively on the ladder.

Interestingly, the Broncos sit fifth, while the Sharks are in tenth, despite both clubs having the same number of wins this season. There’s also a mere one win separating the Panthers in seventh and the Rabbitohs in sixteenth.

With true standings not being accurately reflected until round 27, Gould questioned the rationale behind structuring the ladder according to points earned rather than wins accrued each week throughout the season.

“We need to get rid of the byes,” he stated during an episode of Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus.

“Just focus on the number of games won. That’s the only metric we need to look at,” he asserted.

“There’s no necessity for points to be given for byes. It’s just not needed.”

“I’m tired of hearing James Bracey (Nine’s sports presenter) say, ‘Well, they’ve got two byes left, that’s four points’. But everyone gets byes.

“We only need to look at wins. Stop stressing about byes and the perception of four-point games because of future bye points. Everyone gets two points for byes.”

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If the Warriors, currently in fourth, had completed all three of their bye weeks, they would be on equal points with the Storm in third, but would surpass them thanks to superior for-and-against statistics.

The same scenario applies to the Dolphins, who find themselves eighth overall with 20 points, needing only to bridge a two-game gap to break into the top four.

“The Broncos, Dolphins, and Sharks—all have eight wins. While the Sharks are currently sitting tenth, they’re really seventh,” Gould clarified as he outlined what the standings could look like without bye points factored in.

“The Dragons have six wins, eight losses, and three byes, meaning they are far from the top eight right now.

“When people say the Rabbitohs are in sixteenth, that’s misleading. They’ve achieved six wins, putting them ahead of the Tigers and Eels, both of whom have five wins.”

“While the Panthers are currently listed as seventh, they are effectively outside the top eight based on wins alone. They have a win and a draw, which may prove crucial as the season progresses.

“If they continue to play as they did recently, they might not face many more defeats.”

“As usual, the familiar contenders will emerge as the top teams come September,” he added.

“We need to eliminate the points awarded for bye rounds. It’s unnecessary and merely complicates the situation.” 

Gould then admitted he generally avoids checking the ladder.

“I prefer to approach it day by day, game by game. That’s the best way to navigate it,” he remarked.

“If you focus too much on the ladder, it can drive you insane.”