In just over a month you’ll be punching holes in the air as your team cross for their opening try of the season. Chances are though, your precious moment will be shattered by a needless hearing before Judge Bunker.
We’ve all been there, screaming, “Just point to the spot ref!”
Where wrestling sucks the wind from a contest, needless bunker forensics inverts your last meal like a Gennady Golovkin uppercut.
Multiple screens, angles, speeds, all underwritten by a smug overtone, “have a decision and going to the board”, that by season’s end infuriates like fingernails down a chalkboard.
Well good for you Judge Bunker, because my old man can coast a victory lap of the amenities in the time it takes you to decide what everyone already knows.
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Many of our finest moments are compromised by overcomplicating the simple.
The notion that cash, and bags of it, is the best solution is often laughable.
A good mate of mine sees it daily at the assay laboratory he runs in a remote mining town. Using shed loads of expensive machinery, his team determine the amount of gold in rock samples using methods chosen by the client. In many cases, little is gained by choosing expensive, high-end analytical techniques – yet many clients still do.
Attempts to manufacture the perfect referee are no different. A beefed up bunker doesn’t reduce errors, it simply magnifies the scale at which we adjudicate. Now, instead of footy when we argue the toss, it’s scientific jargon over split hairs invisible to the naked eye.
This is rugby league, not investigative science!
Yesterday’s howler is today’s frame-by-frame gaffe, missed by boffins less confident than Homer Simpson at the Springfield nuclear plant. To butcher a practical phrase of reason, if it looks like a try, the ref thinks it’s a try, and the fans scream like it’s a try, then it probably is a try.
Am I saying ditch the video replay? No, not at all, but let’s keep the speed and context real.
Already we’ve seen the powers of the bunker restricted, with knock-ons, 40-20s and forward passes removed from the menu. It’s acknowledgement that continuous play sells and it’s why ball-strips will never be judged from afar.
Accuracy, efficiency and consistency – the quest will never change. But taxing, microscopic re-runs are only good for an extra layer of ambiguity.
The ultimate risk-reward on doubtful try-scoring plays is rapid reviews at game pace. It will make sure the howlers are kept out and ensure the supporters stay in.
Greg Ambrose
Guest
I remember a Broncos try from years back when Kerrod Walters( I believe ) dropped the ball from a height of three feet over the line against the Eagles. All the Broncos had their hands on their heads in horror but the ref awarded a try the Broncos didn't even pretend was a try. Jason , it's not all about alleviating controversy , fairness to the players and the clubs is more important. The only way to alleviate controversy whilst getting rid of the bunker is to stop the broadcasters showing replays of tries.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Hi Paul C, I agree there were plenty of howlers back in the day but I don’t agree the review system has alleviated the controversy, as evidenced by your reference to conflicting views in the Fox and 9 commentary. Whether on the field or in a bunker, the decision maker will always divide opinion, it’s just a matter of which scale you want the debate to focus. Do you think we need to consider the spectical as well or are you comfortable with the bunker using as much time as they see fit?
Paul C
Guest
The English Review/Bunker system is far superior to our Bunker system!! Why, because most so called Commentators on Channel 9 & Foxtel didn't like the commentary from the Bunker staff & they talked over them, deliberately confusing the issue by giving their sometime biased point of view. Both Channel 9 & Foxtel at times used their own footage & refused to relay the Bunker footage. We witnessed the English system being used for International Games during the World Cup. Give the Bunker staff a go & allow the angles to be played & the commentary on their ruling. The Referee (onfield) should have the right to (1) award an obvious try, no Bunker involved, (2) Call try & send it to the Bunker for replay verification, (3) Call no try & also send it to the Bunker for verification, (4) Call for the Bunker for repays as the Referee is unsure/unsighted & the Bunker alone calls try or no try.(5) Call no try because of an obvious mistake. Journalist, (Print, Radio & TV) have a lot to answer for their treatment of the Bunker system that gets most decisions right, unlike the Referee making wrong decisions that could change the result of a game without the use of available modern technology. Have a look at relays of some of the old NSW RL games 30 years ago & look at some of the shocking decisions.
ferret
Guest
@ Jeff - it's just a game mate. It's just sport, it's just entertainment.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Gday Greg, sounds like lots of negotiations before the captain makes a call. I’m all for the ref maintaing control with a quick yeh or neah almost on the run from upstairs if needed. Forward passes: often missed and often incorrectly ruled forward too. I’m happy as it is. There was uproar in the 2013 gf when a pass in the lead up to SKDs try wasn’t ruled forward - sure tough to swallow as a Manly fan but, and I’m being honest, too bad for Manly. They got what they deserved, the lead up all started with the Roosters busting through the heart of Manly’s pack. Too me that decided the contest, not a dubious call.
Greg Ambrose
Guest
I think I have the answer. The referee either awards a try or not . If either captain disagrees then it is he who decides that it goes to the bunker . The captain quickly states his case to the bunker who is instructed to listen to him If the ref awards a try then the goal kicker is required to get ready for the conversion so no time is wasted. This captains call is to operate along the lines of tennis where the team is allowed maybe 2 or 3 per half but doesn't lose any if he is correct. I've long thought that the captain needs to be empowered and not treated like a pest with leprosy. I believe that Union still allows the bunker to rule on forward passes and if that is deemed to be successful bring it into league. The notion that refs and touchies who are reluctant to stick their flag in the air are getting forward passes right at a better rate than the bunker would is just absolute nonsense. I know of at least two forward passes in grand finals that lead to crucial tries which any Bunker could have seen, to pretend otherwise is just ridiculous. The result in my opinion would be far fewer stoppages. I also favor the ability of the captain to use this in general play but you to stop reckless calls by the captain he isn't allowed to be wrong. One call only for the whole game which repeats if you are correct. Once again it give the captain a voice which is useless three days later at a meeting with the refs. A clear example here goes back to round one last year when Semi Trailer lost his mind and started to play the ball without being tackled. The player who legally tackled him was penalised and the ref admitted his mistake on the run to an extremely frustrated rival captain. No need to go to the bunker , the ref knew he was wrong. Justice is served.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
How long did you take to think of that.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
The alternative is awesome though, the game thrives on get squares.
Jeff dustby
Guest
I'd rather they just get it right
Jeff dustby
Guest
Nothing worse than losing a game because a try was awarded that shouldn't have been
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
There should be a 30 second timer in the corner of the replay screen and if the bunker can't find any evidence to rule on try/no try, etc. it goes back to the ref's on-field decision. If the ref says try, the bunker has 30 seconds to rule on it, as a try, or to find sufficient evidence for no try, and vice versa. Too many stoppages as it is, and this will speed up the game
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
You sound more upset than me, I like it.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
As always, fair and balanced view thanks Nat. For me there are two lines in the sand, naked eye and freeze frame. I’ll go naked eye every time as it’s always footy context. Either way the disputes don’t go away, so for me, lets save a buck and keep the vibe of the show rolling.
sean
Guest
The bunker is the worse thing to happen this comp in my opinion. Kills the momentum of the game. The nrl is turning into the NFL with the delays and increased advertisements. If they want to keep the bunker then then do it as a captains challenge. 1 per game. If you get it right you keep that one but if you get it wrong thats it.
Nat
Roar Guru
Hi Jason, I'm in the middle with this one. The constant use of the Bunker takes the air out of a good celebration but I'll howl to the hills if it goes against my team. The one part I do not like is the minimal gap between hand and ball when scoring unimpeded. For mine, that doesn't constitute lack of control. Being clearly dropped is one thing but grounding a grubber or scoring at speed "just point to the spot ref". I fear the Captains call too. Like Cricket, the intention is to stop the howler but you either er have a limited number of times and if exhausted, still allows the Howler to happen without the ability to review or have every try questioned because they can. IMO, leave it to the ref, if they are unsure, send it up (give me time to re/unload). No system will be perfect, humans can't be precise and you cannot program common sense but in professional sport there is too much at stake for 'she'll be right' In every call 50% of the crowd disagree.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
You bet we are BA, worst call ever, have another look you’ve seen it before.
BA Sports
Guest
So we haven't had a try referred in 2018 yet and we are already complaining about the bunker...?
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Agree, it can’t be that hard. And spare us the bunker chat too it only drags the process out. I mean, where but the board can he go!
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Nothing worse than the downer after a classic try. I haven’t heard anything more about the captains call since it was trialled in the 20s. Did it get a run in the NRL - final round knights v dragons a year or two back. I reckon it has merit. Overkill a threat.
Paul
Guest
Surely the bunker can keep it simple and only change those decisions where there is clear, obvious and indisputable evidence the original decision was wrong? This is almost always apparent in the first 10 seconds of replays, so look at it once and move on. There's rarely need for multiple replays to confirm a decision and if that's needed, then the evidence is obviously not clear, or obvious or indisputable.