Eligibility for NRL premiership rings is being questioned after Roosters coach Trent Robinson gave his ring to Connor Watson.
The Roosters defeated Newcastle 19-18 on Sunday night to win the premiership.
Watson missed the final after suffering a concussion in the preliminary final the previous week.
Under NRL rules, he was ruled out for 11 days and could not play.
The 30-year-old appeared in 25 of the Roosters' 27 games this season, but was not eligible for a ring because he was not named to play in the decider.
Hugo Savala, Cody Ramsey and Benaiah Ioelu received rings despite not taking the field; Ioelu played five first-grade games in 2026.
Watson is due to join the Dragons in 2027 and PNG in 2028.
Robinson, who previously gave his ring to Lindsay Collins, chose to do the same for Watson.
Current rules provide rings to the head coach and players named for the grand final. Clubs have sometimes bought extra rings for other staff or injured players, including Billy Walters last year.
Commentators and fans are calling for recognition of the wider squad, or at least players who reach a set number of appearances.
The NRL Central account wrote on social media:
"Shouldn't the whole 30-man squad be recognised? They train all year, do the pre-season, run opposed sessions, push teammates, fill in during injuries, and play games along the way. Without them, there's no premiership side."
One commenter said Watson's exclusion was harsh and suggested a 10-game threshold, while another argued rings should include first-grade players and coaching staff because squad depth helps teams reach the final.