NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler has strengthened calls for a union to protect his club counterparts amid the ongoing coaching circus.
Plans were revealed to be in works for the development of the NRL's first coaches association last month, with former Gold Coast mentor Neil Henry spearheading the charge.
However, it's understood the project is likely to focus largely on the education of coaches, as well as their welfare.
Wayne Bennett, Trent Barrett, Ivan Cleary, Anthony Seibold and Paul McGregor's futures have all been thrown to the fore in the past week, in the same month Anthony Griffin was sacked by Penrith.
All are in the headlines for varying reasons but crucially all have at least another year to run on their contract - as did Griffin before his axing.
And Fittler said framework had to be put in place in order to give the clipboard holder's protection and backing.
"The one thing that is obvious is that the coaches need a support base," Fittler told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"They need to find their own union or something.
"Because at the moment it's just a farce what's happened with the coaches and contracts and how they're going.
"At the moment the media is really enjoying the whole coaching saga.
"We're two weeks away from semi-finals and no one is talking about semi-finals, they're talking about coaches. It's ridiculous."
Fittler's comments come after NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg this week said the league was open to bringing in rules to stop clubs from attempting to lure coaches out of contracts with their teams.
Such speculation has thrown Wests Tigers' Cleary and South Sydney's Seibold into the mix over the past fortnight while Bennett's future at Brisbane has had a role in McGregor facing media questions at St George Illawarra.
Barrett's problems with a supposed lack of support given to his football department at Manly could also be another facet potentially looked after by a union.
Meanwhile, Brisbane and Queensland legend Wally Lewis said he hadn't seen Bennett impacted by speculation at the Broncos like he has this year.
"It has got Bennett in a mood I have never seen him in before," Lewis said.
"He's looking a bit nervous and a little uncomfortable. I guess if his players produce the sort of effort they come up with he'd be pretty happy with that.
"There is some real dismay in the club at the moment but they managed to produced a fantastic performance (in the win over South Sydney)."
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