It’s been reported that the NRL will be continuing trials into ball-tracking technology that it hopes will enable it to determine whether a pass is forward.
Forward, as per section 10 of the laws of the game, ‘Knock on and forward pass’ means: “The direction of a pass is relative to the player making it and not to the actual path relative to the ground.
“A player running towards his opponents’ goal line may throw the ball towards a colleague who is behind him but because of the thrower’s own momentum the ball travels forward relative to the ground. This is not a forward pass as the thrower has not passed the ball forward in relation to himself.”
So in other words, it won’t be a forward pass, even if it ends up going forward, provided that it is initially passed backwards. Simple.
The NRL is apparently trialling two new ways to monitor forward passes during the preseason, one of which involves inserting a microchip into the game balls that can determine whether the ball has been passed either forwards or backwards.
Presumably, if the trials are successful, we can expect to see one of the forms of technology introduced sometime soon and no doubt added to the ever-expanding role of the bunker. The question is: will this be good for the game or another nail in its coffin?
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The introduction of technology to rugby league and other sports has become a controversial topic over recent years. Many fans will argue that the technology helps to get refereeing and umpiring decisions right and averts the risk of so-called ‘howlers’ which can adversely affect the result of a game, and to some extent they are right. Technology has enabled cricket’s third umpire to rule far more accurately on things like run-outs, boundaries, stumpings and no-balls and also on some aspects of both caught behind and LBW decisions. It has also assisted the rugby league bunker and the rugby union television match official to rule on tries, knock-ons and high contact. But it has its limitations.
The technology doesn’t always get it right, sometimes because the technology is itself inherently limited but more often because it involves another human conducting a subjective review of visual evidence and applying their understanding of the rules to what they see. Cricket’s predictive ball-tracking technology used to help determine LBW reviews has more flies on it than a garbage truck, while both league and union fans consistently shake their collective heads in disbelief at the inconsistency of decisions made after endless slow-motion, multi-angle video reviews.
The other issue with using technology to make refereeing and umpiring decisions is that the decisions are not made in real time and consequently interrupt the flow of the game. While this isn’t such a big issue in cricket, it is already developing into a problem in rugby league, a game which in all other respects, rightly or wrongly, they are trying to make faster with more action and fewer delays. We currently have a situation where a lot of time is burned reviewing aspects of play that should be dealt with by referees in real time. Is anyone enjoying the captain’s challenge?
The possible introduction of this technology will raise a number of questions for league fans, particularly around how it will be applied. Will it be applied consistently or only when requested by the referee or as part of the try review process, as is the case currently with the bunker?
If it is applied consistently, it will need to be applied to every one of the hundreds of passes made in a game, from the first pass in a set of six until the last.
Presumably then, depending upon the way the technology works, the bunker will be alerted to the detected forward pass by the technology and in turn will alert the referee, who will stop the play possibly one or two passes after the detected forward pass. Everyone will look suitably confused and wander back downfield to the mark for a handover to the defending side. Sounds pretty clunky to me.
If not applied this way, it will just be adding to the current anomalous use of the bunker. For example, under the bunker try review protocols they review virtually all aspects of the play in the tackle leading up to a try – everything from knock-ons and obstruction to the sideline and grounding. That’s fine in itself but highly selective and inconsistent, as the tackles leading up to the try-scoring play are ignored and any breaches by the attacking team that are missed by the referee in previous tackles are ignored by the bunker. So a knock-on by the dummy half on tackle one in a set that is missed by the referee can result in a try on tackle three or four.
Will this be the same for forward passes? If so, heaven help the game.
In late 2020 I published an article headed’I hate the bunker’ in which I said: “Recent reports are that the league is now investigating … technology, which will enable them to review and rule on forward passes … League wasn’t meant to be played this way. I guess then we can look forward to technology to determine whether defenders are offside. I can’t wait for that.
“Too much technology, together with the apparent inability to use it effectively, presents a real risk to the game.”
Nothing has come along yet to change my opinion. I’d like to see far less bunker intervention than more of it.
Brendon
Roar Rookie
2022 grand final, your team is up by 2 and its the final play. 3 tackles out, a blatant forward pass occurs, but the touchy and ref miss it (or dont want to call it due to the knowledge of messing with the game), and on the next set, the other team scores a try. In this instance, would you rather accept defeat on a garbage call? Or are you grateful that the pass is CORRECTLY called forward, even if its 2 tackles back? I know what I pick.
William W
Roar Rookie
Clearing the ruck means the ball has passed behind the players back foot... i.e. past the heel of the foot on the ground...
Adam
Roar Guru
It's funny because the rule book says it's once it's cleared the ruck, but doesn't actually define what that means...
Tez
Roar Rookie
Bloody good article Tony ..... I agree 1000%. More power to the referee and touchies I say and less technology. Beware the law of unintended consequences.
William W
Roar Rookie
You need to rely on shadows if a players toe is in the air before making contact with the white line.,. Another question that should be asked is why is the ball white when the Touchline and Goalline are white? The ball should be yellow in colour.
William W
Roar Rookie
Well Adam, you are considered as an NRL Roar Guru yet you don't even know the rules? WHY is that so? Why are you a GURU? The correct answer is the players are not to move forward until the ball has cleared the ruck... It is as simple as that.
William W
Roar Rookie
That is so right, the refs made plenty of errors that disadvantaged the Rabbitohs in the GF.
William W
Roar Rookie
It is so difficult judging 2D Images and Video with 3D Eyes! Very difficult indeed.
criag
Roar Rookie
One of the greatest travesties in rugby league is not missed forward passes, but fair passes called forward. There’s been many a great try incorrectly disallowed because of incorrect rulings on forward passes by referees and interference by touch judges who couldn’t wait to get involved; I know of a couple in two Grand Finals that had a bearing on the result, so I would be in favour of this. I’d also like to see the back-foot rule for onside scrubbed. I’ve always been of the opinion if a player is meant to be onside, that includes BOTH his feet. This should be for goal-line defence and kicks especially.
Tony
Roar Guru
God only knows.
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
Have a look at theroar.com.au/rugby-league/video/joey-leilua-injured-on-debut-moments-after-setting-up-magical-try-for-new-club-1176541/ At the 5 second mark, Fussey passes to Smith. Fussey has his back to the try-line that they are attacking, and throws the ball forward out of his hands to Smith. The ball , naturally, travels backwards over the ground. Referee can see it and doesn't care - the ball went backwards wrt the ground. How will the electronic system handle that?
Tony
Roar Guru
It doesn't look entirely clear David but as I understand it, backwards means towards the attacking player's own goal line.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
Can someone clarify this for me “The direction of a pass is relative to the player making it and not to the actual path relative to the ground. “A player running towards his opponents’ goal line may throw the ball towards a colleague who is behind him but because of the thrower’s own momentum the ball travels forward relative to the ground. This is not a forward pass as the thrower has not passed the ball forward in relation to himself.” In relation to themselves means what exactly? Is it when they initially throw the pass? So it needs to go backwards out of the hands? Is it where the ball finishes in relation to the player? So if the player keeps running and is in front of the ball it is a backwards pass? Could it not also mean a player facing their own goal line needs to throw a "forward pass" towards the opposition goal line for it to be a backwards pass? In relation to the player throwing the pass the ball has gone backwards...
Tony
Roar Guru
Hmm. Never thought of the gambling aspect Mono. You could be right.
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
Tony, this is a very good and thought provoking article. I've been thinking about it during the day since I read it this morning. I'm not sure that I've arrived at an opinion though. My view has been that technology has been applied because it can. Not necessarily because it adds value. Does it really matter that "howlers" occur? I'm an older bloke now, but the world didn't fall apart 50 years ago when I was at Lang Park at Grand Finals and we railed about an unfair or incorrect referee's decision. And I might have been wrong back then too. I know it's a bit of an elephant in the room (By the way, there's an elephant called Carly buried on the Hayle Street side of Lang Park) butI wonder how much of this is tied up with improving certainties for gambling.
Tony
Roar Guru
I think you're right mate. Touchies are passengers these days.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
There is a lot of skill in throwing a flat pass and if the ref, touchies or bunker can’t see it, then it should be good enough. Does it become another challenge that a captain can make if a try is scored? I’m so tired of seeing replay after replay trying to determine a precise ruling. Tony, my theory is the touchies are too scared to do anything that used to be in their job description, and the TV broadcasters inflate any 50/50 call by insisting on over analysing.
Phil
Roar Rookie
I'm with you there jimmmy. Brendan obviously likes the technology takeover of the game but I can assure you I don't. The level of tech we have now is ample, we don't need overload. RL, a game for humans, played by humans yet adjudicated more and more by video.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Going back two or three tackles !!!!!! Do you really want to knife this game in the heart. ( it's certainly given me chest pain). Getting things right will kill us. Sport has to be watchable first and foremost. The CC has made league less watchable. If you love a hundred replays and the Video Ref going 'inconclusive' at the end of it all , may I suggest watching the parliamentary sessions on administrative services orders instead. Its a step up.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
"The computer's been doing it all day Ref!"