- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
In early 2015, the NRL experimented with having four touchline officials. So why has this not been implemented?
When I first noticed the NRL testing this, in an under-20s game, I was astounded they hadn’t thought of it sooner.
On each touch line there was an official watching the ten-metre line, and one watching the ball at all times. When the play got within the ten metres of the goal-line, the two extra officials wrapped around to become in-goal judges.
I warmed to the idea, as almost every angle was covered, and it would significantly reduce the need to go ‘upstairs’.
The advantage to testing this in under-20s was that there was no video referee, so the officials were already used to making a call on the spot, and had the confidence to do so.
An example of its effectiveness is an attacking kick inside the ten-metre line launched across to the other side of the field. One of the in-goal referees is already on the far side, and the other on the side closest to the kicker. It’s easy for the lead official to be blind-sided as he predicts the kick’s trajectory and follows it after the fact. The two in-goal officials are in prime possession for a decision before the kick is even made.
I was training with an NRL referee at the time, who was adamant it would not be implemented, due to the financial costs. Yet less than 12 months down the line, the NRL had put an estimated $2 million into a bunker system that has not impressed after Round 2 of this year.
Has Tony Archer written off this idea? Implementing the Bunker points to that conclusion.
Would you like to see the NRL experiment with this idea again?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.