Penrith coach Ivan Cleary is a fan of taking the heat off NRL referees with the captain’s challenge but he’s unsure if it’s going to be a success when its rolled out this season.
Cleary sits on the league’s competition committee, which vetoed the proposal late last year before the ARL Commission opted to push through with the rule change.
At the time, there were no guidelines as to how the idea would be implemented.
“No one really knew how it was going to work,” Cleary told AAP.
“(So) it’s on the commission, which is fine.
“As a coach, I would say there is a lot of uncertainty around it. We haven’t even broached it with (our) players yet.
“I hope it’s not too bad (but) I think there’s going to be a lot of confusion.”
The league got its first taste of the challenge system at a top level during Saturday’s annual All Stars match on the Gold Coast with mixed success.
Maori captain Adam Blair was unsuccessful with his challenge, while Indigenous skipper Joel Thompson got knocked back because it wasn’t during a stop in play.
The NRL will get one final look at the hastily introduced rule change during Saturday’s Charity Shield match before it is officially approved next week.
It would be one of the rare occasions the ARLC tinkers with the laws of the game without the approval of the competition committee.
In theory, Cleary is supportive of the idea and he likes the NFL model, where video replays aren’t used until a challenge by a team.
However, he also sees the need to eradicate the howler in try-scoring situations.
“I was actually a fan of doing it like the NFL, where we don’t have the video unless your captain’s challenging something,” Cleary said.
“It’s a bit like cricket; you might get two or whatever it is. You keep going until you get one wrong.
“I wouldn’t mind that (because) I’m a bit old-fashioned.
“I get it if it’s a try-scoring situation, you’d probably want to get that right.
“I don’t mind the concept of taking a bit of heat off the refs and putting it on the players.
“I’m just not sure whether this way is the best way.
“We’ll see.”
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It's all about the game being more predictable, and therefore more coachable, rather than better for spectators.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Couldn't agree more, TWAS. Look at some of those changes over the years loke the marker not being able to strike for the ball, the player being able to play the ball forward or the rubbish way the offside rule was used at the play the ball asd a few examples.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
My concern here is that will the challenge replace the referee going to the bunker or will this just be another reason for a stoppage.
Chilli
Roar Rookie
There are two outlandish comments here: “Clear is unsure of.....” Seriously he is not sure of anything at all! Second outlandish comment: “As a coach...” Gus says it best... No, no, no no no Ivan. :silly:
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
One of the worst things the NRL did was giving coaches input on the rules. The game has changed for the worse since coaches have been able to have input in changes the rules to make the game more coachable.
Jewboy
Guest
Yeah TB...my concern too.... the problem could be the more challenges the captains get right could lead to more time lost with extra challenges.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I guess we have to wait and see but I’m not sure adding more 110+ seconds delay to refer to a ref to say “nuh, ref got it right” is that good for the game
Insider
Roar Rookie
Can’t argue with that
Insider
Roar Rookie
I’m happy for the NRL to do anything that helps! Am I confident in its capacity to deliver ? Nah
Paul
Roar Guru
I think captains should only make the call when it's absolutely clear a wrong decision was made, be it in the first minute of a game or the last. This is not about challenging 50:50 calls,but dead set howlers. Perhaps we need to give it go first then see whether it should be tweaked or abandoned.
Jewboy
Guest
I agree Insider.... it's not a perfect world we live in and this isn't the perfect rule to stop all howlers but imo if the captain uses it wisely and only for the blatant howlers and not for nitpicking decisions it should serve its purpose and reduce the number ...sadly not all..of howler that up untill now have gone uncontested and we have had to live with....some justice is better than none. My main concern is that it might turn into another time wasting rule .
Insider
Roar Rookie
Agreed, especially should you challenge early in the game and lose, doesn’t fix anything
Insider
Roar Rookie
I agree it could benefit however what happens if the first challenge is overruled and the above scenario repeats itself! Based on the challenge rules you wouldn’t have many captains challenging in first halves of games purely because in the event it’s overruled we are back to square one, I don’t believe this will work
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm going from the video the NRL put out on it's website and one example really stuck where JAC ( I think it was) was tackled really close to the sideline, the touch judge ruled him out when replays clearly showed he wasn't. A captains challenge would have seen the Storm retain the ball in attack and could have scored and won the game. As it was, they handed over possession and gave up two premiership points. I'll bet Cam Smith would have been thinking it was worth it, if this system was in place in 2019. I'm no Raiders fan, but I'd also suggest Ricky Stuart would have liked this in place with some of the brumby calls the Raiders have had in recent seasons.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think he and Mary share the same lackadaisical approach, Albo. Maybe that's why they have the coaching records they do and no Premierships in the trophy room
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I wonder how they determined that the Captain has only one failed challenge in 80 minutes? I would have thought two each half would be closer to the mark.
Big Daddy
Guest
Andrew, there's a lot we could learn from the NFL but we choose not to. I think the biggest thing we need is a draft as at the moment the richer clubs benefit not through the salary cap but by locking up all the good young players. But who decides on the order and do we have enough players. If there was a draft there is always someone trying to sort the system. The way things are the bottom of the table clubs don't seem to be progressing.
Insider
Roar Rookie
But it won’t because should the captain have his challenge overturned he/she no longer has the ability to challenge again, howlers will still occur
Andrew
Guest
“I was actually a fan of doing it like the NFL, where we don’t have the video unless your captain’s challenging something,” Cleary said. Maybe he is being misquoted, but if the competitions committee is reviewing how challenges work in other leagues and he is saying he is a fan of how the NFL do it, then he isn't paying attention if he thinks the only way they do it in the NFL is captains challenge. In the NFL; All scoring plays are reviewed by the video All turnovers are reviewed by video All challenges in the final 2 minutes of each half can only come from the bunker equivalent. So he is basing his view on something he fundamentally doesn't understand... No wonder the Commission over ruled the Competitions Committee.
Insider
Roar Rookie
A big difference between questioning the ref in regards to play the ball area, ruck, penalty count and so on, are you suggesting that the captain can question the 10m ? Ruck? These are the bread and butter decisions that cost side dearly, sorry captains challenge is a can of worms that’s just not worth it