Maroons coach Billy Slater has labelled the NRL’s expanded bench rules as “NFL-like” and warned they will “devalue” versatile players.

And choosing a bench will now be far easier for coaches – and that’s not a good thing.

The expansion of the bench from four to six players is the biggest of the four rules changes for this season, and represent the biggest shake-up of bench rules in decades.

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However, only four of the six players can actually be used in a game, and the maximum number of interchanges remains capped at eight.

“Coaches can make a mistake with their bench now and get away with it,” he said on Nine’s Billy Slater Podcast.

Reece Walsh and Billy Slater.  Getty

“In the past, there had to be a lot of thought go into contingency plans – if you lose a half, if you lose an outside back, if this guy goes down, who’s going to fill that spot?

“Now, you can essentially have a cover for every position on the bench and just pick and choose who you need at any particular time.

“I get it, but it just devalues the versatility of a player. It makes it a little bit more NFL-like where you have a specialist in every position, and a backup for that position now as well.

“I don’t know – I used to like thinking about that part of the game and who can fill in where.”

Host Peter Psaltis pointed out had the rule been implemented last year, Jonah Pezet would likely have spent even less time than he already did playing in reserve grade, which would have only hampered his development.

But on the flip side, had Coby Black been on the bench for the Broncos when both Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam went down in the same play against the Storm, he would have got his chance to make his NRL debut.

Coby Black in action for Brisbane.  Broncos

Slater said he understood why the rule had been implemented and that it would have its pros and cons, especially when applied retrospectively.

“But looking at it as a coach, it takes a bit of the gamesmanship and the thought process of (who’s on your bench),” he said.

“You still have to think about your bench, without a doubt, but the flexibility of how you move players around and what you do with players, it just becomes a lot easier for coaches.”

On the other rule changes implemented for this year, Slater said the removal of the seven-tackle set following a knock-on in-goal by the attacking team “should have happened years ago”.

“When they brought it in, it was for a reason that had nothing to do with knocking the ball on in the in-goal, or going for a try and fumbling it,” he said.

“This is a perfect rule change and it should’ve happened a long time ago … the game will benefit from it.”