Another weekend of matches, another series of contentious decisions by referees and video refs. I’m surprised that people are surprised that so many decisions are, supposedly, wrong. The reason is simple. By trying to ensure 100% accuracy the NRL has complicated this game. Throwing more referees and on-field decision-makers into the process has been a disaster. All of you who have been on a committee, or in a boardroom, knows this. Some of us have argued for many years against two referees, and the video ref. How much longer do we have to wait until the powers to be acknowledge that both have been a failure? Reverting to one referees should be a given. That’s simple. However, getting rid of the video ref is probably impossible now that TV controls the game. But, I argue that if you retain the video ref there should be NO show-motions used in decision making. You should only be allowed to make a ruling based on what your eyes can see in real time. Slowing the action down to such micro-seconds distorts reality. It makes it appear that a players has had time to pull out of a tackle, or has lost control of the ball, or has deliberately used his shoulder when all he is doing is bracing for a collision. I’m old enough to remember watching RL when decisions may have been queries, but before you had time to argue the next phase of play was underway. You played to the whistle. The game didn’t stop and allow a committee to debate a decision.
The above is exactly what is needed.The only area at all that has been helped by video refs is sideline calls for tries in the corner. The rest has become a total and absolute mess.
