Parker: The three changes I would make as NRL CEO

With Andrew Abdo departing as CEO of the NRL, Corey Parker has named the three things he would do if he were appointed as the interim.

Following six years of service in the top job, the South African will leave in July to take up the vacant CEO role at Tennis Australia left by Craig Tiley in February.

In his tenure, Abdo saw wide sweeping change, having helped expand the competition to have 19 teams by 2028, introduced the season opener being played in Las Vegas and sped up the game through the set restart rule.

But when asked by co-host Ian Healy what he would do if he were in charge, the Broncos legend listed the changes he'd make.

“First and foremost, I'd take the two points away for a bye,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.

“That's an easy one. That's gone.

“The great Andrew Voss said to me that it was bought back in the day for the struggling clubs, like (the) Dragons, for example.

“Their fans and members wanted to see that they had points next to their name, so hence the reason it was two points for a bye.

“It's still garbage because everyone knows they haven't won a game, but that was why.

“(That would be the) first thing I'd change would be that.”

The next decision Parker would make would be to have players' surnames on the backs of jerseys.

“I love names on the back of jerseys,” he added.

“I'd bring that back. That's an easy one.

“They do it in Origin. Why can't we do it on a club jersey?”

But the main change the Broncos legend would make is for an overhaul of the competition's fixture by splitting the home and away season into three parts.

“Here's where I'd really dial in,” Parker continued.

“I would break the NRL season in three parts. Part (one as) in, Round 1 to Round 10, everyone's playing.

“Round 10 to 16, through that Origin period, it's a separate playing field.

“So, everyone's still playing, but you don't have to feel obliged to play if you're an Origin player, if you're coming through injury, if you're struggling, you've got niggles and all that.

“This is where you bring in some of the younger players, and you play for something separate, like (a) mid-year Challenge Cup, for example.

“Who you play and how you play is yet to be decided. That is not for premiership (points). That is separate, so you can have a mid-year comp, put a little bit of prize money up if you want.

“Then from, Round 16 to 27, (you’re) back playing for points again, and then you're dialling in.

“Because what happens is you get to the end of the year and some of these players are burnt out, some of these players are injured, and some of the players, if you're, defending for points right now, you gotta play for the now.

“The Warriors and the Panthers will get the opportunity to rest players cause they've done such a great job so far.

“But if you're chasing to be in the eight, you feel obliged to play your players.”