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Time's up for touch judges

Roar Rookie
25th May, 2016
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Are two touchies enough, or would doubling them be a long-term money saver? (Image: Joe Frost)
Roar Rookie
25th May, 2016
18

In recent years, my contempt for NRL touch judges has grown with each game. There is no more inept or irrelevant role anywhere in modern rugby league.

Given the significant financial investment to modernise rugby league with the introduction of the ‘Bunker’, surely the time is up for these flag wavers.

It looks as though the two-referee system is here to stay, as is the bunker, and on top of this, we still have the two touch judges. There is a surplus of people officiating the game. Touch judges were relevant when there were few or no cameras broadcasting the game with one central referee.

They’ve become irrelevant now with the multitude of cameras at the games disposal, as well as the other officials.

Let’s break down some of their key responsibilities.

Forward passes
The modern game has evolved to a point where players blatantly disrespect the sideline officials. Mitch Rein is probably the worst offender. Out of the six forward passes out of dummy half he throws per game, one might be picked up. He isn’t alone.

In every game of rugby league, hookers are trying to get their runners over the advantage line, throwing suspect passes knowing that only the blatantly forward ones will be picked up.

Is it the fatigue, sideline abuse or the sun in their eyes that impedes their decision-making?

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Let the bunker make the call. They have a better view to determine what is forward or not, and would be at worst, as efficient in advising the referee. Consistency would also be improved.

Why are 49 forward passes allowed, when the other one is not? That one generally being en route to a try scoring opportunity, which frustrates everyone involved.

Foul play
The best thing that the eradication of the punch has done for rugby league, is that touch judges haven’t encroached the field to give their elementary accounts of what happened.

It’s rare that they step foot onto the field anymore with the bulk of foul play reviews going to the video referee or bunker, i.e. the people with several camera angles, replays, and a better view.

Field of Play
If touch judges are supposed to officiate if a player stays in the field of play, they haven’t been told. The overwhelming majority of tries scored near the touchline are referred to the bunker because the touch judge can’t make a decision. Even the easy ones are apparently too hard.

Again, the bunker resolves this issue as they have several camera angles, replays, and a better view. The touch judges look towards the referee like a kid on their first day of work experience – too scared to make a definitive decision, yet still eager to impress.

The referee guesstimates based on their inadequate referral, and the bunker makes the decision. The screen says try or no try and the touch judge runs back into position feeling like they’ve contributed to something.

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They haven’t.

Remember Brett Morris in the 2010 grand final? Almost his entire body was over the touchline with the touch judge an arms length away. His inability to make a decision essentially led to the opening try of the grand final.

Jeff Younis was his name, but no one cares because touch judges are irrelevant. Two years later, he was at it again, making further mistakes in finals matches. He wasn’t dropped but reinstated the following week.

There is no accountability for the errors of the touch judge, maybe I’ve found Geoff Toovey’s target… the touch judges must be accountable!

In goal
This is perhaps the one job they generally do well. Putting their flags up or down depending on if the ball goes between the two sticks. It isn’t rocket science. The second referee (or ball boys) could replace the touch judges without a fuss. The AFL only needs one goal-line umpire, and he has double the number of posts to contend with.

The NRL should make the touch judge a thing of the past. There is no need for them in the modern game with technology evolving and improving each year. Utilise the money spent on their salaries on further technology for the bunker, or literally anything else – it would be better spent.

Finally this is intended for the NRL, not junior rugby league. When technology is not available to replace the touch judge, they become more relevant and useful.

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