Fewer referrals, slashed decision times and a saving of more than 10 hours of live play.
These are the major positives put in front of the NRL competition committee on Tuesday following the raft of rule changes made to the game in 2016.
Among them was video referral decisions taking an average of 12 seconds less time compared to last year, as a result of the introduction of the $2 million bunker this season.
Surprisingly, only 41 per cent of try attempts have been sent to the bunker this season, after 44 per cent were referred in 2015.
However, stats did show a five per cent rise in live decisions overturned by the men in Eveleigh compared to video officials who were at the ground last year.
Whether most of them were correct calls is up for debate.
But in a big coup for the game, fans have been treated to more live play, with more than 10 hours saved as a result of the scrum clock and drop-out clock in 2016.
Competition committee member Trent Robinson admitted just last week that the maligned bunker would be set for a review at the end of the season following a coach’s meeting in May.
But NRL Head of Football Brian Canavan said it was critical the committee be shown the early results before discussing more changes over the summer.
“This is an incredibly important group and today’s meeting was a great opportunity to put some early results from some of the major changes in the game to them,” he said.
“The group will now go back and digest a lot of the information so they can look at the way some of those key changes are shaping the game.”
Robinson and South Sydney counterpart Michael Maguire are the two coaches elected into the committee, which includes Rugby League Players Association representative Clint Newton, and NRL boss Todd Greenberg.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant and commissioner Wayne Pearce are also in the group.
The state-of-the-game update also showed 34 per cent of games this year have been decided by six points or fewer, a record 15 games have been decided by golden point, and there has been an increase in tries.
Television audiences are also up 16 per cent compared to last season.
Cedric
Guest
yes, what are the stats on the clangers. Are they maybe 5% of the calls, I don't know. It just confounds me how these clangers are called. Generally I just can't believe whats happened. Maybe they are.... I don't know and it's hard to guess. Is it 5% of calls or maybe less. In any case the numbers mean nothing. You just have to ask the question as to why would they call that when I believe most players, if not all, from the under 15s would not make that call!!!
Train Without A Terminus
Guest
There's lies, damn lies and then there's statistics...
Griffo
Guest
Furthermore, the speed at which the onside/offside from a kick gets reviewed is actually really good. The number times you hear the bunker say that they've all cleared the onside about a second after the on field ref has finished talking is a testament to this, I guess the helpers are checking that from the moment they there will be a referral. I think people forget how long it took to make some decisions, especially when they needed to use multiple camera angles. Having the split screen works so much better for this and definitely reduces the time when it comes to these sorts of decisions it's just these decisions are inevitably the longest.
Cedric
Guest
yes, I think the Warriors had a first this year when Hoffman was obstructed from grounding the ball for a try, and the bunker called NO TRY! Then later in the season Mannering does similar and obstructs someone and blow me down the bunker says PENALTY TRY. Talk about complete reversal! Then there was Sunday vs Tigers; the first obstruction call, well, the bunker man needs the sack, I think every adult calls that a try. The 2nd was was also a try, but looked slightly harder to call. Anyway, the Warriors only chance of taking 8th spot, and ejecting the Titans from the finals series, has gone. Should I wear a tin foil hat too???
The Barry
Roar Guru
Agreed about the decision making but that's not a bunker issue, it's an interpretation issue. Decisions like that will be made regardless of whether we have 1 ref, 2 refs, a video ref, a bunker, etc, etc Not saying you have but that's where a few punters come unstuck. Video ref makes a decision that you don't agree with? Bunker's stuffed, get rid of it.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think they've picked up the pace again lately. There were quite a few decisions where they only had one look. The Greg Inglis dead ball line try a good example.
MrJSquishy
Roar Pro
I totally agree, that is the thing that stood out to me: 41% of tries get sent upstairs? Why do we have four referees on the field if only just over half the time they come to a decision? Yes, the bunker may be 12 seconds quicker, but, do you know what is a lot quicker? Not sending it upstairs. I still believe that a challenge system is the best idea for the NRL. Let the on field referees make all the decisions live and if a coach has a disagreement, he can press a buzzer and challenge. Only two incorrect challenges allowed per game and the challenge has to be very specific and immediate. And the video referee has to go with benefit of the doubt i.e. if it is not blindingly clear that the challenge is correct, it is overruled. It wasn't all that long ago that we didn't have replays at all. Were the referees only sure 59% of the time back then?
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
I was listening to ABC Grandstand on Saturday and Matthew Elliott came up with the suggestion of having Roy and HG in the bunker, rather than Bernie, The General, et al.. It's the best idea I have heard all year!
andrew
Guest
The stats are bogus. They send clear cut decisions to the bunker which take them 2 seconds to adjudicate on bringing the average decision making time down. They do it for the very reason of justifying the value of the bunker.
MAX
Guest
And with one (1) only referee a 10.
MAX
Guest
The Bunker is the saviour of Rugby League. Instant justice and no death penalty. I give it a 9. Without it a 7.
Alex Green
Roar Guru
Wow, 41% of the time a try is scored the fans' celebration and enjoyment of the moment is halted. An improvement on 44% but still massive. I reckon that could easily come down to around 30% if they had more confidence to point the spot when they know it's a try. If KFC let them though haha. Also, the bunker really needs to just leave the dubious ones to the on field call. Too often they are over ruling when most punters cannot see any clear evidence whatsoever.
AGO74
Guest
After round 1 and 2 everyone was hailing the bunker and it was fair enough because they made decisions really quickly. Thereafter it just seemed to gradually draw on and on. Personally I'd like to break those stats down and see round by round (or month by month) times for referrals because I'm sure it got worse as the year went on and the NRL should use that information to analyse what went wrong over that period.
AGO74
Guest
Watched the challenge cup final on weekend. Besides being an enjoyable game to watch and having a remarkable finish the thing that stood out for me was a) 1 ref and b) the instances when tries were scored that were not referred when in the NRL they would be referred in a heartbeat.
Jimmmy
Guest
Agree Baz , the bunker is an improvement but some of the decision making inside it leaves a bit to be desired. That Warriers try on the weekend, best of the year but as soon as it was referred you knew they would find something. What they found was a non existent obstruction. Bunker yes ,but get the decisions right and as the rule says if you are not sure go with the ref. Also agree on the shot clock. I reckon take 10 seconds off both and reassess in one year.
Emcie
Roar Guru
That and the player playing the ball to not interfere with the markers once the ball is played
jamesb
Guest
I'll give the Bunker the benefit of the doubt. Let's see how it goes next year.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
The bunker sucks asssss , get rid of it .
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's massive. I don't know why the refs don't tell the bloke playing the ball to go back to the mark when he's gotten up and taken three big steps forward, putting the markers offside.
The Barry
Roar Guru
The bunker has been good overall. I think there would be a slight increase in accuracy but definitely a big drop in the time taken to decide. It's like they lost their way in the middle part of the season and we're having plenty of looks but gave gone back to quick turnaround times. Shot clock has been good but I reckon could still be wound in a bit more. There's plenty of times sides are standing around ready to go but waiting until there's 4 seconds on the clock.