Mailbox: Scrap the referees on-field call for video ref decisions

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com

Dear James,

One thing I would love to be changed would be the referees on field call.

The amount of times a try gets awarded just because there isn’t enough evidence to overturn it is ridiculous. Common sense should play a big part in the video referees decision.

Remember “back in the day”, well when I was a kid, the benefit of doubt to the attacking team. This was when Super League really was super.

We seem to have gone backwards with the video referee, kind of making it more complicated than it needs to be.

If the referee is unsure about whether a player got the ball down or not we should leave it totally up to the video ref.

Zack Brown

Editor’s comment: The NRL adopted the on-field call system, and people called for it to be replicated in Super League. I’m unconvinced it’s really changed anything, as the previous benefit of the doubt to the attacking team seemed to work OK. We seem to spend too much time changing the wrong things. I wouldn’t mind seeing the on-field call removed.

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com