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?
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.
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.
3 Hats
Guest
Well, that is correct, don't assume that when you're watching the game on your big screen that the commentators are always correct regarding officials, they are NOT!
yung
Guest
this. marketing name, nothing more nothing less
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well that is wrong, it should be that every ref should adjudicate on forward passes!
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Kind of like how State of Origin is an equally silly description since it really isn't about your state of origin...
turbodewd
Guest
you ask 10 ppl in the street about touch judge and line judge...you will get some curious answers! Touch line is an equally silly description.
3 Hats
Guest
Read my reply above, under Stephens comment, it explains WHY! It is the refs job to adjudicate on forward passes, NOT the Touch Judge!
3 Hats
Guest
Stephen. They do mate. The Touchies 2nd duty is, in fact, to actually watch the back-play. When I did my referee training I had Keith Page as my mentor, I can remember what he said to me to this day his words of wisdom, he said to me "when you are a Touch Judge you never ever follow the ball". "You must always watch the player who has just passed the ball and you look for late and high hits. Then you watch the next player and so on! He said "if there is a bad one, late and especially head high and you think it warrants reporting, you wait until the end of the set then run in, stop play and make your report! As the officials are wired for sound in today's game the touchies don't need to run on as much these days but they do come on in certain circumstances, as in the James Graham late Cannonball hit on Adam Reynolds last year! THIS is the reason that commentators and fans alike always complain about forward passes as it is the referees job to pick up forward passes, NOT the Touch Judges!
3 Hats
Guest
Arnold, you are spot on mate, as a retired referee, we would do 3 or 4 games on a Sunday, normally 2 in the Middle and 2 on the touchline and I can tell you first hand that certain referees do in fact ignore their touchies, especially at the lower grades. However, I think in First Grade, they do listen to them more but mainly in try scoring instances, not so much in general play.
3 Hats
Guest
You never cease to amaze me turboweed. You're a touchy feely type of a bloke, aren't you? LMFAO at you! The term Linesmen were INCORRECTLY coined by commentators who have no idea about the Laws of the game or that in the Glossary Section of the OFFICIAL book, The International Rugby League Laws of the game, they are referred to and ALWAYS have been referred to as Touch Judges as their main job is to adjudicate on the Touch Line!
Cugel
Roar Rookie
I would suggest they're told not to worry about it too much, or err heavily on the side of caution. Because they cannot possibly fail over and over to see what we can see in the stand.
Scott Pryde
Expert
I stopped reading when you said Mitch Rein is the biggest offender of forward passes in the game. Haha what a joke.
ChubbzyK96
Guest
Actually touch judges is a more accurate terminology, they only officiate if anything goes over the touch line.
steveng
Roar Rookie
The biggest complaint I've got with 'sideline judges' is how on earth they cannot judge on 'forward passes'? They are right there, inline with play, how on earth do they miss 'forward passes'? Don't they watch the plays? What are they watching? When their duties are to keep the 10m, notice for foul play and players stepping out of the field of play but the most important thing for them (I would have thought) is to keep an eye out for forward passes (which they very rarely do) they don't have much else to do!
up in the north
Roar Rookie
There should be four touchies and their sole responsibility should be to set the ten metres for attack & defence.
Arnold Krewanty
Guest
Touch judges are good -they are just ignored by the ego referee's in the middle of the park & the video ref. Get rid of the tech, and bring back in-goal touchies. Oh! and have more women in the job!
Boatie
Roar Rookie
Touchies should be involved in reporting foul play and late hits. If they ran straight on and reported these things it would take the bunker out of the equation and provide a deterrant to players from doing it. It would also stop the laying down waiting for the bunker. The way things work with touchies now, they might as well sit in the stands with us and have a beer and a pie!
turbodewd
Guest
Firstly, lets stop calling them touch judges. They are sideline judges, they don't judge touching :) They still have the power to give valuable info to the ref still don't they?
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Did a touchie run over your cat Matthew? I actually think the game lost it's soul when touchies stopped running on to give reports.