By Steve Kaless
June 7th 2009 @ 12:44am
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Let’s axe the video ref from Origin footy
Johnathon Thurston of Queensland scores a try during the Queensland v New South Wales State of Origin Rugby League game at the Ethiad Stadium in Melbourne, Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009. AAP Image/Martin Philbey
Here’s my topic for discussion for the next liquid lunch. The ARL should axe the video referee from the remaining two Origin matches.
Another brilliant game of rugby league, another game marred by video refereeing. This isn’t sour grapes talking, the fact is there was too much post game analysis on whether or not Jarryd Hayne stepped out.
We should have been discussing whether Queensland were as good as we thought they’d be, what changes the NSW side should make.
But no, like too many times this season, we are arguing about whether or not the blokes in the box got it right or wrong.
For what it is worth, I’m actually not sure whether I think Hayne was out or not.
That would probably have leant me to the pressing the green button for benefit of the doubt, but it isn’t just that that left me perplexed.
For starters, why were there two video referees, namely Bill Harrigan and Tim Mander? Why the sudden need for state balance in the refereeing ranks?
Both Harrigan and Mander were given Origins to referee themselves when they were running around so why now the suspicion that they may be waving the colours of their home state?
Is it a sudden admission that referees carry bias? If it may happen in Origin why not club games??
Honestly, if they think the decisions might run along state lines then they may as well add some colour and toss Steve Roach and Chris Close into the box.
What happens in a split decision? It strikes me that it is all getting too hard.
We are told that the referees want to speed the game up, so it’s “get off him, get off him, roll away, roll away, hands off, hands off” until someone scores a try but then another referee will have you waiting until the cows start texting to tell you they are coming home while he looks at 14 different slow motion replays, often the same one repeatedly to work out what went on.
The Victorians must have been wondering what the yell was going on, and why so few people were wearing scarves.
Enough.
I think it is time rugby league had an honest inquest into whether or not we should continue with the video referee. It wasn’t some Faustian pact whereby we swapped our souls for video referees for all eternity.
However, the appearance of the devil in all of this would go someway to explain why Harrigan seemingly hasn’t aged in the last ten years.
Has anyone ever seen his reflection?
But I digress, I think we might be time to give the video referees the “it’s not me, it’s you” speech. But why not try a trial separation?
Why not say for the next two Origin games we go without a video ref, bring back in goal judges and just let it all hang out.
If at the end of the series we have decided that we can’t life without them, love their cheeky smile and don’t mind their bad habits like drinking straight from the milk bottle and not returning borrowed CDs, then so be it.
But if, as I suspect, we actually find that we can live without them and the endless replays, and talk of “separation”.
Then perhaps we can call the thing off and charge onwards into season with six referees all empowered by knowing there is no one with a remote control to make the decisions for them.
I would just hate to see what is building to a tremendous finals series spoilt by the continuing debates about the men in the box instead of the men on the field.
Or we try again with Blocker and Choppy.
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(8)
cosmos forever said | June 7th 2009 @ 7:23am | Report comment
Agree whole-heartedly – stop video refs from all games not just SOO.
Harrigan is the biggest ego in footy – get rid of him and Finch and we might just be alright.
Kurt said | June 7th 2009 @ 8:24am | Report comment
I agree with you Steve, but have we not done the whole ‘get rid of the video ref’ topic to death on The Roar over the past week?
Gerry Faehrmann said | June 7th 2009 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
Not enough is said, Kurt, until those clowns are sacked and purged from the Game.
Andrew said | June 7th 2009 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
The issue is more to do with refs unable to accept not being able to make a decision and thus not using the Benefit of the Doubt button to award the try.
It should be limited to 60 secs to view the video, if it can’t be seen and needs too many replays, then press the try button ref!
Nug said | June 7th 2009 @ 6:41pm | Report comment
Didn’t you blokes read the report in the Courier Mail which said the Video Ref’s were certain that Jared Hayne put his foot on the line but asked the TV Director to replay it from a different angle. But the TV Director stuffed up and gave them the wrong replay. They asked for it again and finally got the right replay. That’s why it took so long. Believe me, I am not on the side of the Video Refs, but the NRL has made the rule and we have to stick with it. Just like having two refs on the field trying to referee a game from “no man’s land.” Why one of them isn’t standing level with the ruck amazes me.
Steve Kaless said | June 7th 2009 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Kurt,
Maybe the topic has been done to death, however it normally gets moaned about and then people say “oh well, we are stuck with it”. I don’t agree, that is why I have proposed a solution. Let’s get rid of video refs during origin as a way of trialling whether or not we actually need it/ want it. Just going over the same hypotheicals doesn’t get anywhere.
I note in the UK, they only have the video refs at matches which are covered by SKY, the rest are done with in goal touch judges. I’d like to see these guys brought back.
richard brockhurst said | June 8th 2009 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Haynes threw the ball forward and Creagh fell on it and was awarded a try,shortly before half time. That kept NSW in the game !!! Stop BLUEING and get ready for game 2.
Brett McKay said | June 8th 2009 @ 5:39pm | Report comment
Steve, I’ve said this on one of your articles before: why don’t the video refs use the couple of retired former players in their ranks in addition to the appointed video ref?? If Luke Phillips and Paul Mellor (and I still can’t remember who the thrid ex-players is!) are being fast-tracked, then sit them up in the box to give them experience, as well as adding a player’s perspective to video ref decisions??