Former Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons prop James Graham has revealed he would make players be carried off on a stretcher to stop the issue of players lying down in games.
The issue of players staying down in an attempt to receive a penalty after bunker video intervention has been creeping more and more into the game this season, although it's hardly an issue just limited to this campaign.
A regular problem for fans on social media and referees at games, the NRL have taken steps to attempt the limitation of trainers being able to stop a game, but it still hasn't appeared to be enough.
Speaking on Triple M on Sunday, Graham said he would force players to head off on a stretcher and head to hospital for every incident, suggesting they would stop immediately, with particular issue taken at Elliott Whitehead's perceived laying down incident during the Canberra Raiders' surprise win over the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday evening.
"That's the way to solve it. Embarrass them into conforming. Bring on a stretcher and make the leave on a stretcher," Graham said.
"Imagine Whitehead stays down, the referee blows time on, the medicab comes on, put the neck brace on. We are erring on the side of caution, so send them to hospital, and they'll stop. That's what I'd do."
Graham said it was about taking away the onus on players, and leaving referees to determine whether penalties are blown or not at the time with no intervention from the bunker immediately.
"They know they are going to gain a competitive advantage," Graham said.
"What you do is, you're products of your environment.
"Players know the environment, they know the situations they can gain a competitive environment.
"You take it away. What you need to do to solve this problem if it is such an issue like people are talking about in the media and what coaches are talking about in every press conference, take it away from the players.
"No matter what, it will be at the referee's discretion. So, if the referee calls a penalty, it's a penalty, if the referee doesn't, then it doesn't matter how long you stay down for, then the bunker will not interfere. If there is a sin bin, it's at the next stoppage.
"It's play on. You deal with it after the game."
It comes after Ricky Stuart commented on players laying down during his press conference after Saturday's game, admitting he didn't know how to fix it, but suggesting something had to be done.
"You have a look at so many incidents on high shots where it comes up off the shoulder and clips the head, it doesn't hurt the player, but it's a penalty. If you get the penalty, it releases so much pressure especially coming out of your end, so I understand why players want to lay down and let whoever is in the box have a look at the screen," Stuart said to the media.
"I don't want to create a headline over it, but it's creeping back in again. I agree with the NRL trying to look after players, I really do, but it's a fast sport with high intensity, and so much collision that you are going to get a lot of accidents like that, and that's what we are seeing.
"You can't minimise the incidents. I don't think there is a lot of intent there. Hudson got Riki, but it's not intent. That's just the speed of the game, the reaction, the high intensity, the duress and fatigue they are under. That happens. It's not intentional, it's an accident.
"I don't know [how to stop players from lying down], but it's creeping back in."