The NRL has scrapped automatic player suspensions for shoulder charges or crusher tackles, as well as simplified ban lengths in the biggest judiciary overhaul this century.

Signed off just hours before the season could begin, the changes were relayed to coaches by reporters as they finalised preparations for their opening-round games.

Players will no longer receive automatic bans for shoulder charges, crushers and striking, with fines all available for the base charge.

Demerit points will be scrapped for a new, clearer system, with each charge now carrying a specific number of games on the sideline.

Players will have another match added onto that ban for each previous offence in the past 12 months, to a maximum of two additional games suspended.

A game will also be struck off the suspension list if a player takes an early guilty plea, a reward which was sometimes not previously available.

Fines will still be in place for most grade-one offences, but it will no longer be limited to two as in previous years.

It means a player could commit seven grade-one offences and not be charged once.

All players will begin the year with a clean record, with all charges from last year not counted as previous offences.

The system scraps the previous process, where players had 50 per cent loading added to demerit points if they had committed a similar offence in the previous two years, or 20 per cent for non-similar offences.

The loading system, long criticised by coaches, came under fire last year from South Sydney and Latrell Mitchell who missed the grand final.

However, the changes would not have helped Mitchell because the Rabittohs' fullback would have copped seven games under the current system rather than six.

The NRL will also hand more power to judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew in deliberations, while also widening the scope of the judiciary panel.

Former coaches and referees will now be eligible to sit alongside former players on the panel, which has been reduced to two people.

In the event of a deadlock, Bellew will have the deciding vote and give an explanation to the player and media on the reasons for his decision.

Former Canterbury fullback Luke Patten will also take over as chair of the match review committee, replacing Michael Robertson.

Ex-referees and ex-coaches will also now join ex-players on the committee, with Patten to have the deciding vote in the event of a deadlock.

The changes came as news to coaches, with Kevin Walters yet to see them when he fronted media just a day out from Brisbane's first game.

New NRL base charges:

Careless high tackle, dangerous contact and contrary conduct:

Grade 1: Fine

Grade 2: Two-game ban

Grade 3: Three-game ban

Striking, crusher tackle, shoulder charge:

Grade 1: Fine

Grade 2: Three-game ban

Grade 3: Four-game ban

Dangerous throw:

Grade 1: Fine

Grade 2: Three-game ban

Grade 3: Five-game ban

Reckless high tackle:

Grade 1: Four-game ban

Grade 2: Five-game ban

Grade 3: Six-game ban

* Players will be able to remove a game from their ban with an early guilty plea

** Players will have their ban extended by one game for their second offence in a 12-month period, and two games for their third or subsequent charges.

AAP