The challenges of the NRL challenge system
Columnist By Luke Doherty, 9 Mar 2012 Luke Doherty is a Roar Expert
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- NRL, nrl referees, NRL video referee, Rugby League, video replays
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The video challenge system could be a great thing for rugby league, but what should a coach be able to dispute?
Giving coaches the right to challenge tries if the video referee hasn’t already been called into action is obvious, but what other areas of the game should come under scrutiny?
If a player drops a ball and a strip isn’t called or a line-ball pass is ruled forward should a coach be able to ask for a second opinion?
The challenge system will be trialled in the Toyota Cup this season and coaches and captains will be given one challenge per half and another if required in extra time.
The clock will stop for sixty seconds and the video referee will make a call.
Debate has already started on talkback radio about the involvement of the video referee.
One caller to the Big Sports Breakfast program on Sky Sports Radio called for the introduction of video review booths on the sideline.
This would allow the on-field referee who made the call to also judge the incident in the booth like in the American NFL.
It’s a good idea because then the buck stops with him and no excuses can be made about different interpretations between officials.
One quirk that will need to be ironed out is the amount of time between an incident occurring and a challenge taking place.
If a team scores, but an incident has occurred earlier in the set, should that moment come under review or does the challenge need to be instant?
It’s a tough one because if the challenge is instant then the attacking team has its momentum stalled and the defending team gets a sixty second breather. The attacking team gets no benefit from that.
The coach or captain should be given the scope to challenge anything during the set once the set is completed in situations like that.
Otherwise you may start to see challenges launched at crucial points in the game on a tactical basis.
Call me cynical, but coaches will use anything at their disposal to save two competition points.
If done properly it should bring added excitement to an already captivating sport.
It won’t stop the whinging though. By the end of the 2013 season coaches will be complaining about not having enough challenges per match; it’s in their make-up to be unhappy and stressed.
If the Panthers and the NRL can fight about an OAK milk fridge, then a blue about anything is possible.
You can follow Luke Doherty on Twitter @Luke_Doherty and on Sky News Australia.
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- NRL, nrl referees, NRL video referee, Rugby League, video replays
March 9th 2012 @ 12:05pm
Andrew Eadie said | March 9th 2012 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
This is an idea invented by channel 9 so they can squeeze more advertising into their NRL broadcast. There is enough stopping in the game now with the video ref. There will be a number of initatives that will be marketed as ‘good for the game’ yet they will all provide 30 seconds of advertising space for channel 9.
March 9th 2012 @ 1:13pm
turbodewd said | March 9th 2012 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
This challenge system, if implemented properly, would actually SAVE time! It would reduce the amount of times the refs go to the video ref, because they do it far too often at the moment. Think about it people!
A good challenge system would also take pressure off the referees. They could freely rule on what they see and have to cop the situation that they will occasionally get challenged and over-ruled.
Lastly, there needs to be a system to discourage frivolous use of the challenge. You should get 2 per half and if both go in your favor you should get a 3rd. Also the team which is challenging has only, say, a 20 second window after a try ruling to challenge.
March 9th 2012 @ 1:21pm
B.A Sports said | March 9th 2012 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
it is definately worth trying and I am all for trying it in the Toyota Cup. There are some risks with it and it won’t eliminate error or controversy, nothing will. And if offciating became an exact science where there were no errors, there would be some journos out of jobs!
March 9th 2012 @ 1:56pm
The Barry said | March 9th 2012 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
I think it will be terrible. If you go back to challenge something on the first tackle of a set there’s effectively been five tackles and 40 seconds of play that don’t count towards the game. Potentially players could get injured or sent off in a period of play that effectively gets wiped out of the game if we go back to a penalty on tackle one.
Coaches will eventually start complaining that one challenge per half is not enough.
Challenges will be used to disrupt the momentum of the game.
I don’t think things are that broke that we need to do this. I welcome the trial but hopefully cool heads make the final decision.
Maybe refs could take more accountability for their performance. People say that everyone makes mistakes – however mistakes like the offside-from-the-charge-down in the Sharks / Tigers game are fundamental errors not 50/50 calls that went wrong in the heat of the moment.
March 9th 2012 @ 2:03pm
Nathan of Perth said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
“People say that everyone makes mistakes – however mistakes like the offside-from-the-charge-down in the Sharks / Tigers game are fundamental errors not 50/50 calls that went wrong in the heat of the moment.”
So is dropping the ball as you’re making a line break but players that do that don’t get dropped.
What do you want, semi-pro referees to cop fines for honest stuff-ups?
March 9th 2012 @ 2:27pm
turbodewd said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
Barry,
so youre telling us that refs constantly referring to the video ref is the way to go? Refs go there far too often at the moment.
A clever challenge system will make everyone happy and SAVE time.
March 9th 2012 @ 2:53pm
B.A Sports said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
“Maybe refs could take more accountability for their performance. People say that everyone makes mistakes – however mistakes like the offside-from-the-charge-down in the Sharks / Tigers game are fundamental errors not 50/50 calls that went wrong in the heat of the moment.”
That wasn’t the first time a team has been off side and charged down a field goal, but just like in the Dragons v Knights game, the way the Dragons players set up as a wall becoming lazy players around the ruck, should have been penalised, offisde is never penalised on an FG attempt either. Its not an inability of the officials to assess offside, its the intestinal fortitude to blow the whsitle with the score locked, right infront of the posts.
March 9th 2012 @ 4:11pm
Nathan of Perth said | March 9th 2012 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
And knowing that if you blow the whistle then the media is going to focus on you with the accusation that you wanted to be the centre of attention rather than saying “oops, that fool shouldn’t have been offside, I guess!”
March 9th 2012 @ 2:25pm
doonan dave said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
I think this is one of the worse ideas to be considered in a long time (maybe all time).. I think coaches and captains and supporters just need to learn that sometimes in life you have to accept the decision thats been made. People, that is refs, players, coaches are all trying there best – no one intentionally makes mistakes, there is a human element in every decision thats made on the field.. I see potential for coaches to exploit this when there team is under the pump – nothing like a break in play to halt momentum, catch your breath and regather your thoughts. On the other extreme if the refs are challengeable why limit it to one challenge per half. If the ref is having a shocker you may win your challenge for the half, but countless other bad decisions are unchallengeable and just as damaging as the one that the coach wins. Whats the point? Games will still be determined by refereeing decisions, but one per half is rectified – not worth the time and effort. If we truly think there is a problem with officials, fix it, but don’t go down the path of allowing spoilt brat coaches like Hasler, Toovey, Bellamy etc more air time and influence than they already have.
March 9th 2012 @ 2:28pm
Hoy said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
I think this would be a nightmare unless they restrict what you can challenge.
Say a strip is called, and someone challenges and the replay shows it was a dropped ball instead. Great, they still have two more up their jumper. Now, looking at the replay, what about the interpretation of what is and what isn’t a strip? “A bloke had his arm up there, but when he hits the ground, I can’t see, and now the ball is loose, yup. Must have been a strip.”
How many times do frivalous penalties happen each game, or dropped balls etc? I just don’t think there is time or space for this in the game.
People should just accept the Ref’s call, and leave it at that. If you were dudded, you were dudded, and write it up on the Roar.
March 9th 2012 @ 2:43pm
onthetryline said | March 9th 2012 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
I dont really know how I feel about this. If we do invest in this then we are saying that 5 people (referee, pocket ref, touchies and video ref) aren’t doing a good enough job.
Would you honestly be happy knowing that captains and coaches can second guess a decision? I wouldnt…I would rather go to a game where if the referee makes a decision and its final. If that referee made a decision he thought was correct at the time then sure people can complain (which some coaches did on the weekend) but thats the way the ball bounces really. You move on and try to do it better next week. Lets give the referees a reason to grow a backbone and not shy away from tough decisions.
March 9th 2012 @ 3:16pm
toddm said | March 9th 2012 @ 3:16pm | Report comment
i know the time issue is always going to be a problem. In the NFL they will go back to the infringement and also rest the clock to the time the incident occured. and then play from there – again i know that time wise it will stop the play more but at least they reset the clock back …
March 9th 2012 @ 3:29pm
steve b said | March 9th 2012 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
the strip should be outlawed for a start the refs cant get that right this would take a load of bs from the game and anything that helps the right decision get made should be at least tried and copping a bad decision on the chin couldnt stand it when i played and cant stand now im watching if the coach bags the ref he gets fined refs have been in their protective bubble for to long trial anything that goes close to getting it right and then we maybe get games decided by the players not the refs.
March 9th 2012 @ 4:03pm
turbodewd said | March 9th 2012 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
Trial the system, tweak it…then judge it. A lot of Einsteins on here are attributing wild results to the deployment of a system. Frankly, i can see it working well and SAVING time by removing so many video ref referrals we currently see.
* Limit challenges to try-scoring plays only OR the tackle immediately before it.
* 2 per half…a 3rd is granted if both previous are upheld.
* Challenge must be lodged with video ref within 20s of a decision OR event which wasnt called. Video ref calls referee on his headpiece. Video ref then has 30s to review the play in question.
* Video only overrules ref decision if there’s CLEAR VISUAL EVIDENCE to do so. If the visual evidence is inconclusive, dont guess it, let the original ruling stand.