Particularly for me, and I imagine a lot of other footballers who played before the 1990s and 2000s.

For more than a decade I was playing an 80-minute game just about every week. The only time the coach would drag you off the field was when you were playing badly, or due to injury.

And when you were called to the pine you were never happy about it. These days some forwards go out for 10 minutes then come off for a spell.

Rugby league should be a war of attrition, 13 blokes battling against 13 blokes for 80 minutes.

As a big forward it was a challenge to stay on your feet late in the game when the heat was on.

The smaller, fitter halves and backs would try to run around you and it was your job to stop them.

Obviously, after 50 or 60 minutes of footy, it was easier said than done.

But that was what made the game so exciting.

It brought those little guys into play late in the piece, and really blew the game open.

I think the NRL has made a smart move by reducing the interchange cap from 10 to eight from next season.

And the rumour it will drop to six is even more exciting.

People complain about rugby league being boring these days, but these changes should give more power to the quick blokes to throw the ball around and create some excitement.

And the forwards can't complain too much.

In all honesty, as a professional athlete, you train your body to do what it has to do.

Back in the 80s we trained to play an 80-minute game because we played 80-minute games.

These days the bigger guys train to play 30 minutes because they play 30 minutes.

If some of these big guys want to play longer minutes, their bodies will adapt.

They aren't 70 years old; they are young blokes who play football for a living.

Glenn Lazarus played a full game during State of Origin one year and people lost their minds.

I'm looking forward to the smaller guys being given a bit more room to move to create scoring opportunities.

A player like Johnathan Thurston is going to have an absolute field day.

Thurston already dances around opposition players when they're fresh, but imagine in the 70th minute when some of those guys don't have much left in the tank.

Shaun Johnson is another example of a player who will relish these new conditions.

Even a Chris Sandow would be able to use his speed and craftiness to get in space and score some points.

It's a shame Sandow might not be in the NRL much longer, but that's another issue.

It's good to see the NRL is taking the initiative and at least trying to bring some excitement back into the game.

But while they are at it, surely we can have a few more rule changes?

Why not actually give the touch judges something to do?

Let them mark the 10-metres defensive line or give them some other responsibility.

Surely they can handle a bigger workload.

QLD final? Oh, no!

The NRL is probably crossing its fingers we don't see North Queensland take on Brisbane in the grand final.

With ANZ Stadium locked in for the decider, it would be embarrassing to have two Queensland teams compete south of the border.

Maybe the governing body should leave the grand final venue open in future years?

Obviously the chances of a Sydney team qualifying are substantially higher, but it's looking like a real possibility that Broncos will play Cowboys this year.

Still, my money is on the Roosters.