"What we're saying is, if you're not doing something, we're not going to let you play," he said. "The rules actually say they must have two days off a week ... what we're saying is, within those two days, you must do a day [of work or study]." The rule comes as part of a broader push from the NRL to shift club culture, with the likes of Dragons star Jack de Belin and Manly centre Dylan Walker causing major headaches for the game's image across the 2019 season. Mr Heptonstall said that despite some backlash from clubs, "most" were in agreement with the new rule. "It just adds a degree of responsibility," he said. "If you're sitting down at a university table where you don't care whether I am a footballer or not, but we have both got to get our assignment done ... it makes them appreciate more the idea of being a professional athlete.

"If you've only got one pillar in your life and it's only footy, and that's not going well, you'll fall over." Loading About 113 players are expected to be affected by the new rule. This year, 14 per cent of under-20 players were not involved in any work or study, and therefore would, under the new rule, be deemed as ineligible to play. The rule will be supported by monthly check-ups with each individual club's career coach, as well as monitoring by the NRL's wellbeing and education team. For each player a career plan must be developed and signed off by the NRL. Exemptions will be available for clubs where the player is affected by short turnarounds, excessive travel, representative selection or a final series.

Before the new rule, the NSWRL required its Jersey Flegg Cup players to study or work to be eligible to play. This season, the league's career-program will be mandated for the first time, and will mark the first time NRL selection will be unavailable to players who do not commit to the eight hours a week rule. Loading Wellbeing and engagement programs manager Tony McFadyen said the rule was a "reduction of risk" effort as opposed to providing a "fix" once indiscretions occur. "There's some great opportunities and some of the things you see and get to do within the game, we're all privileged to be a part of that," he said. "But there comes that responsibility. So it's really about understanding the awareness of what those responsibilities are, and that you're not the same as the tradies out there."