NRL head of football Graham Annesley admits the league can’t demote any of their three video referees because they have no one else qualified to do the job.
For a second consecutive week, Annesley has conceded that the bunker made a crucial error in a critical part of a match, this time Canberra’s loss to Melbourne.
Annesley presented a fierce defence of the officials on Monday, saying referees were just as vulnerable to making mistakes as players.
“If we’re looking for a utopian situation where officials go onto the field and no one makes an error.. it’s just not going to happen,” Annesley said.
“Anyone who thinks it is going to happen is just off with the pixies.”
Annesley revealed the NRL employs just three senior video referees officials each round: Jared Maxwell, Steve Chiddy and Steve Clark.
Maxwell made the decisive call late in Manly’s loss to Newcastle last week that resulted in the ugly aftermath involving Addin Fonua-Blake’s verbal spray.
In the Raiders’ six-point defeat to the Storm on Saturday, Annesley believed Chiddy incorrectly sin-binned Bailey Simonnson for a professional foul.
Asked whether he had the option of axing his bunker officials, Annesley said: “To be brutally honest with you, at the moment, no we don’t.”
Annesley went on to reason that the bunker gig is a specialised role that’s not unlike running a little television production.
And it appears the league may remain limited to a three-person bunker squad, with the coronavirus pandemic limiting understudies this season.
Former first-graders Ben Galea, Ben Lowe, Bryan Norrie and Beau Scott are also in the bunker to give officials the benefit of some playing experience.
Annesley is wary of rushing people into the job.
“It’s not like a Melbourne Cup field. There’s not people bashing the door down saying I want to be a video referee in the bunker,” he said.
“You need people who understand the rules and have been on the field at the highest level … We’ll do whatever we can to back-fill with appropriate people.
“But I’m not going to oversee a scenario where we take people out and replace them with lesser capability because that will take us down a black hole.
“That’s not the best interests of the game, the clubs, or the fans.”
Annesley also defended the match review committee’s decision to hand South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell a grade-two striking charge in the face of criticism.
Mitchell will be rubbed out for two matches for his action against West Tigers playmaker Josh Reynolds, however the incident was compared to that which ended in Tigers centre Joey Leilua being banned for four games.
Annesley said the case of Leilua, who was charged with dangerous contact, was different because his contact was with an innocent party.
“A player who was literally a bystander, was hit quite high,” Annesley said.
“It was off the ball and that player was an innocent bystander, he hadn’t done anything to aggravate the situation.”
MadgicSH
Roar Rookie
I would guess the problem is that Rugby League and computers should never be used in the same sentence? Most people remain scared of technology if it goes beyond email - how on earth can you expect to get people who understand the game and can use the technology?
MadgicSH
Roar Rookie
Of course they make mistakes - that's humans. BUT can anyone think of a time when a major decision went against the Roosters? In this century??
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I would prefer to see the use of the bunker cut down. Only to be used for a captain's challenge. If the the referees and touchies do their jobs (especially the touchies) it should work.
Stu
Guest
Just use all 3 bunker refs (independent from each other) for all games and make it majority rules. Mistakes will still happen but surely this would minimise it to an extent.
Jim
Guest
Anyone but they guys currently in the bunker will do a better job
Big Daddy
Guest
Nuts to that.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Referees and touchies have to make a decision on the spot without the benefit of replays and slo mos from different angles. If they make a mistake so be it. The bunker is a different story where they can watch replays in slow motion and different angles and they still get it wrong. No sympathy here. As well with the bunker, why can't they rule on forward passes? The bunker at the moment is poor, if we don't have the referees to man it, take it out of the game. If it is to be kept, then make it for use only with a captain's challenge.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I feel pretty much the same way jimmmy...
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
TB , i am pretty good accepting mistakes from Refs. It's a hard job and they do a infinitely better job than I ever could. I can even accept most bunker decisions . A lot are 50/50 types. Did he bobble it , did he lose control, was there obstruction.? Everyone has an opinion on these and a lot are arguable. No problem Ones like the four I have outlined however are howlers. Annersley knows they are. You can tell because he doesn't even wait for a Monday review. He basically decides while watching them live as we do as well. He does this because they are so bleeding obvious. The bunker interferes with my enjoyment of watching RL. I have been prepared to sacrifice a little of that in order to get rid of the occasional appalling decision. That is just not happening. In fact the bunker probably makes more howlers than the on field Refs. SO get rid of it , get rid of captains challenge. Then embrace the mistake. I know I can do it. We will be better for it.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The 2 referees system had a complete fail in last year's grand final at a critical time in the game. It was scrapped because of it and we revert to the one referee system with TJs and VJs as subordinates called on to help.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Ba ha ha ahaaa hoo hee haa ha haaa :laughing: :laughing: :thumbup: Just add a pain meter worm to enhance viewer engagement…
Albo
Roar Rookie
Wow jimmy ! Its like Australiana at our matches these days. Ricky saw a wombat in Canberra, and I'm sure we saw a koala in the Souths / Tigers match !
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
I've done some deep thinking on this and believe that there is a solution, and Foxtel can help. The bunker staff have electrodes strapped to different parts of their bodies. If the highly educated (we keep getting told they are) footy viewing public on Foxtel believe that the bunker got the call incorrect they can push the red button. Depending on how many of the audience disagree with the decision, including the commentators, the final tally affects the size, duration and location of the electric shock the officials receive. Mildly incorrect, short burst to the right shoulder. Massive howler and its jatz crackers time. What could possibly go wrong??
Adam
Roar Guru
Why don't they just get the replays on the big screen that the referee ask for? Or only look at what the referee asks for? So if he says to check the sideline and the grounding that is it? All said and done reduce the scope of the bunker because mistakes will be made regardless. At least the "mistakes" will be more palatable. That said, I think we all need to grow up a little bit. It might be nice if the stalwarts of the game would zip it and stop pretending they can "fix" the standard of officiating in the games. Because the old coaches/referees and us fans really have no idea how to referee a game.
Adam
Roar Guru
That's because you really need an odd number of judges to ensure that there is no deadlock!
Adam
Roar Guru
They'll always get something wrong. No matter what. The sooner we all grow up a little bit, the quicker we'll enjoy the footy :stoked:
Big Daddy
Guest
Ray Paks, the media missed a big chance here. If Annesely said no one is trained the next question should be " why is no trained" and it begs the question " why is no one trained".
Ray Paks
Roar Rookie
So no replacements? If they all get sick, no video ref then? Ridiculous really And what does he mean by if they stand one of the video refs down, it won’t be good to get less capable people? Less capable people to understand simple common sense? Get real mate
Big Daddy
Guest
How qualified do you have to be to press a button. In business if you don't do your job correctly they replace you. Simple as that. You can tell Annesely was a politician when he comes out with comments like that.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Why exactly do we need people who have been on the field at the highest level? Surely just knowing the rules and being able to make unbiased judgements is enough.