NSWRL to provide Player Points Index System as way to level playing field and reward club junior development

The more players you develop, the less you'll be punished and the more you will benefit at the end if those players return after their NRL career is over.

NSWRL east coast region league and club support officer Dan Tempest said versions of the Player Points Index System (PPIS) had been in place in previous years, but now it would be uniform across all competitions.

"It's really to help our clubs encourage players to come into the competition especially after NRL level," he said.

"If someone like Jeremy Latimore in Port Macquarie was ever interested in playing for the Sharks again, he will count as zero points in the system because he's a Sharks junior."

Any NRL player who has played more than 25 games in the Telstra Premiership will count for 30 points of the 100 points allocated to each first grade club every week.

The catch comes if that player returns to their junior club in the twilight of their career, they would count as zero points.

"But if Jeremy was to go and play at any other club like Wauchope or Port City it would cost them 30 points against their cap," Tempest said.

An NRL player would then be worth 20 points in the second year at the same club, 10 in the third year and then zero in the fourth year.

"It's about encouraging players and clubs to sustain themselves so instead of going to buy five former NRL players, you want to keep your players there for as long as you can," Tempest said.

"Part of the issue with regional level is you've got players going from one club to another internally in the competition so the system will discourage that as well.

"Having the senior clubs work a little closer with juniors clubs is also of benefit."

Group 3 chairman Wayne Bridge said the system that had been in place since 2019 hadn't worked and he was encouraged by the uniform approach across all NSWRL competitions.

"The way it's designed is to protect local juniors within your club and make it easier for them to stay and/or those local juniors who are returning if they've been at a higher level," he said.

"I always believed the one we had in place wasn't good enough, but this will be across all regional footy and replace the one we had."

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