The implementation of the ‘Bunker’ was supposed to be a brainchild that would be close to perfect and eliminate a number of incorrect decisions. But all the NRL has done is create more controversy than ever.
Why do we have a situation whereby the Bunker is repeatedly intervening during matches and playing the role of judge, jury and executioner?
The inconsistency between the interpretations and rulings by the on-field officials and the man inside the Bunker is losing the NRL a lot of credibility.
Rugby league is so heavily scrutinised these days and even with the millions of dollars that the NRL has spent on technology they are still getting it wrong. Please, please do away with the Bunker video referee and go back to the good old days when there was just one Referee and two touch judges who had complete control of a match.
The penalty by the Bunker for a supposed shoulder charge by Jayson Bukuya on Ben Hunt in the final minutes of the Broncos versus Sharks match could have cost the Sharks victory.
The on-field officials hadn’t said anything, they were over-ruled once again by the man in the Bunker who was looking at a TV screen. And once again he got it wrong.
What will it take for the NRL to understand that in their desire for perfection they are actually ruining the game and the great spectacle that it should be.
The NRL would be well advised to take a close look at how the AFL and Super Rugby operate and take a leaf out of their books. As it stands the game is lagging behind its domestic rivals.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I don't think people remember how long decisions used to take, in that regard alone the bunker is worth it
Tiger tragic
Guest
The first three weeks or so, I thought the Bunker was the best thing introduced to the NRL, everything was quick and accurate. Now, it just a schemmozzle, just like things were prior to it's introduction.
Tiger tragic
Guest
This is another reason why I consider Broncos a "pet" of the NRL. (You could almost count Storm, of recent times, in that as well). Touching referees and getting away with it ring a bell to anyone?
Tiger tragic
Guest
Trouble is dodge, the spectators are so brainwashed about getting things perfect, that human error is no longer acceptable.
catcat
Guest
iain
Guest
Lets not pretend the bunker doesn,t work lets get back to 1 referee and 2 linesman and let the decisions fall where they may right or wrong , at the moment there not doing the right thing.
Red Dog
Guest
Yep it's enough to make you switch off .
Bill Blazejowski
Roar Rookie
I think both comps (NRL and AFL) have ambiguities and grey areas in their rules and I think that suits them and neither admin seems in a hurry to solve said grey areas. The stripping rule/knock on in league still does my head in and these days in the AFL I can't tell what half the frees are paid for. I believe for both leagues that the TV product is very, very important and trying to keep games and penalty/free counts close is what you will see.
Bill Blazejowski
Roar Rookie
The Bunker's intrusion on the Bukuya tackle late in the Sharks v Bronocs game made my blood boil. To rub salt into the wound, the NRL decide they need to back up the Bunker by hitting Bukuya with a Grade One charge. There was no shoulder charge or high hit.
dodge72
Roar Rookie
Lets go back to good old days.One referee, two linesmen that run the line and run into play to inform referee of discretions.Then we might finish a game nearly on time instead of taking nearly two hours,and just live with human error like in good old days,as number of errors has not decreased with all inovations.
AlanKC
Guest
I think the drive towards "utopian perfection" in officiating has been driven by those paragons of virtue, our commentators who pore over every decision looking for something they can be outraged about. Sadly the average punter seems to have bought into the idea that humans, at least when wearing referree or umpire garb, not only can but must be perfect (just as the commentators are...).
Red Dog
Guest
Just another example of the NRL shooting itself in the foot . It reminds me of the old Scooby Doo line at the end of each episode " These Medling Kids " . The NRL in it wisdom will probably create a bunker to adjudicate on the bunker .
jimmmy
Guest
The bunker is fine but what it is allowed to rule on is wrong. Keep it for try scoring situations only. When they use it for foul play it is blatantly unfair. It rewards guys who stay down in the tackle and penalises those that get up. What you reward will happen more often.if you want players staying down every time there is a suspicion of head contact allow the bunker to review it . If you want the game to flow let the Refs make the call during the game and let the match review guys pick up the ones missed.
MAX
Guest
Whether it be bunker or solo referee, fans love decisions going the way of their team. I was dubious about the bunker at introduction. Now I see it as an essential for our game to prosper. It is the ambiguity and optionalisation of Rugby League rules that need complete revision. Then and only then will we get consistent application from referee and bunker. The time it takes to get a decision matters not one iota to me. Just get it right.
Big J
Guest
Safety they need to be certain distance away to avoid contact with players etc plus that's why they have a zoom in feature. But all the more reason to bring back in goal refs
Greg
Guest
Two problems the bunker needs to sort out: 1) They're trying to play the role of the match review committee and deciding whether a high tackle is a 'reportable offence' or not. They should not be doing this, if a player is hit with a high shot it's a black and white penalty. 2) Obstruction. Too much interpretation, if a player in the defensive line gets taken out it's up to the bunkers discretion on whether or not the player could have made it across to make the tackle. Again this should be a black and white penalty, even if the winger on the opposite side of the field gets taken out, it's against the rules to take out a player with a decoy run.
turbodewd
Guest
Im fine with the Bunker. Rugby league is very hard to officiate. Every. Single. Season. People are complaining about the refereeing. You've just got to lump it that they only get it right 95% of the time. I just wish the bunker would be quicker...they seem to take too long sometimes. Why are the cameras so far from the try line????
Big J
Guest
Well well well, how long did that last? 10 rounds or so? About the same time as mundine's last fight which was just as painful to watch before the ref decided enough was enough, the nrl needs to do the same with the bunker. It was doomed to fail from day one, so cut your loses and get back to the days of the on field ref ( and let's get back to one on field ref) makes the call and that's that. Human mistakes are inevitable but it's better then some stupid machine making a decision for us. It's time for the nrl to stop embrassing itself and get back to basics
Emcie
Roar Guru
The bunker hasn't been perfect, but they're being blamed for everything this year. It's the same people adjudicating on the same rules, yet if anything the process is much improved over previous years. Last year everyone was calling out for an overhaul of the video ref system, coaches wanted the video ref to be able to overturn on field decisions if they were wrong, so that's what they get and now they complain because decisions go against them. Of course coaches are going to complain about the ref's, video ref's and everyone else, there's a losing coach in every game.
Fiddlesticks
Guest
Great, first week we will have a dirty play or swinging arm which will cause a turnover and the game lost due to it and the bunker can't make it right