Some of the 16 coaches were able to set aside personal antagonisms and support a rival whose views on the game, such as interchange, were akin to their own, while others could not ignore the old enmities.

Seven of the NRL's coaches have applied for the two positions – incumbents Roosters' coach Trent Robinson and Bennett, together with the Cowboys Paul Green, the Rabbitohs' Michael Maguire, the Warriors' Andrew McFadden, the Titans' Neil Henry and the Sharks' Shane Flanagan.

Three of the four most-senior coaches – the Raiders' Ricky Stuart, Storm's Craig Bellamy and the Bulldogs' Des Hasler – did not apply, with Bellamy most vocal in declaring his opposition to a serving coach having an influence on key decisions surrounding the game.

"It is a conflict of interest for a current coach to support a decision, such as last year's rules regarding the speed of the ruck, when those changes suit his team," Bellamy said.

"I believe no current club coach should sit on the committee and the only active coaches on it should be the two State of Origin guys."

Perhaps the most critical decision the competition committee will make is the success of next season's reduction in interchange from 10 to eight.

While some coaches support interchange dropping even further to six, giving more opportunities for smaller, clever players to exploit tired, lumbering defenders, they cannot support the candidature of Bennett, despite the code's most successful coach probably agreeing to further lowering of the ceiling on replacements.

Bennett, an advocate of fast play-the-balls during the Super League era and on his return to the Broncos with fleet-footed halves, such as Anthony Milford - although a fan of slow rucks with the Dragons - is perceived to have too much influence at Rugby League Central.

Furthermore, there were murmurings and raised eyebrows when Bennett called for greater protection for playmakers at a meeting of NRL coaches this year, despite earlier stating a heavy tackle by Newcastle's Beau Scott on the Cowboys' Johnathan Thurston was part of the game.

These inconsistencies, together with his failure to voice his long-standing opposition to golden point after winning matches in extra time, are seen as evidence of self interest and at odds with a holistic view of the game.

Nevertheless, it would be a big call to vote off the man who has won seven premierships and even those who oppose him point out some of the applicants for the two positions "have only been in the game two minutes".

While it's true there has been an influx of new coaches in recent years, some, such as Wests Tigers' Jason Taylor, the Knights' Nathan Brown and the Panthers' Anthony Griffin, have returned after being sacked from previous posts.

A poll of the 16 coaches at a long meeting this year supported the system of voting for the two representatives on the committee, rather than have the NRL appoint them.

The committee also includes past player Darren Lockyer, ex-coach John Lang, Australian captain Cameron Smith, Jillaroos captain Steph Hancock, a representative of the RLPA, ARL Commission chairman John Grant and Greenberg.

The ARL Commission endorsed the decision, cognisant that critical issues, such as interchange, require the input of current coaches and set a two-year term for the two elected.

Should Bennett not be voted on, his critics claim his views will still be represented by Lockyer who sits on the Broncos board and played under the master mentor.

However, the same argument could be mounted against Bellamy's influence over Smith.

The biggest challenge to the committee is to be proactive. Rugby league, historically, has been a code of over-reaction.

Indications are Greenberg is anticipating problems and if the committee produces workable solutions, it should cut across self-interest.

For example, the introduction of the shot clock will challenge the gamesmanship of coaches.

How do you eat up the clock when you have a set time to execute a line drop out and there's only one minute left?

If you lead by one point, a penalty in the front of the posts for not restarting play in the prescribed time will see you beaten.

But if your team leads by four, what if the kicker drops to one knee to buy time?

It will take some creative types to anticipate Dessie doing what Dessie does.