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Opinion

The pros and cons of the NRL's one-ref move

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Roar Guru
8th May, 2020
17

Stop the presses, everyone!

You read that headline correctly: there will be just one on-field referee once again in the NRL.

This will be for the remainder of the 2020 season. I can’t tell if this will just be for the rest of this season as a precaution due to the coronavirus, or a trial and error. It has been reported as a cost-cutting strategy.

The ref whisperer gonna whisper

(AAP Image/Brendon Thorne)

I have some pros and cons of going back to one ref.

Pros
A massive positive about going back to one ref is you have one person who will have full control of the game.

This will be good because instead of having all eyes and ears left, right and centre, you have one who controls everything with the sideline touch judges, who can give assistance, as well as the bunker, who can give a helping hand.

Cons
This could be confusing because when the one in charge makes the call then the back-up ref says the opposite, it can lead up to confusion.

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It’s not exactly a bad thing but miscommunication never works well. I’m not necessarily saying having two on-field refs is back, but it didn’t always go to plan.

I am all for going back to one on-field ref. I believe it was an old-school style that really worked for the best and with all the technology we have in assistance, there’s the back-up ref right there.

When it comes down to opinions on this topic, there’s three results you can see here: some people will be for it, some will be against it, and the rest won’t actually care.

Which group are you in?

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