Super League coach calls for removal of ref’s call to improve video referee process

Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam believes the removal of referees offering an opinion before sending a decision to the video referee would improve the officiating in process in Super League: after reiterating his frustration over Darnell McIntosh’s disallowed try at the weekend.

McIntosh was denied a sensational acrobatic try during the Leopards’ win over Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon, with Lam outraged post-match at the decision to refuse the try. It was sent up as a ‘no try’ by the on-field match officials before being referred to the video referee.

“I thought that was a try every day of the year. A hundred times out of a hundred,” Lam said – before admitting he would speak to the refereeing team at the RFL to try find out more.

He said: “They’re big moments in the game, that could have cost us the game. So I’m really frustrated with that and disappointed with that. We’ll talk to the powers that be after today’s event to make sure we don’t come up with that outcome again.”

Lam confirmed in his weekly pre-match press conference that he had done exactly that, but refused to divulge too much on the nature of the conversations.

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However, he did insist that he felt it would be much more beneficial for the game if referees did not offer an opinion to steer the video referee one way or the other before referring a call upstairs – calling the decision to deny McIntosh’s try one of the worst of 2024.

The Leigh coach said: “I just thought the Darnell try was a really poor call. One of the worst of the season.

“We want fans to come and watch our wingers score these amazing tries and going up as no try, and then finding it as no try because it’s gone up as that, that needs to change in our game.

“I’m sure there’ll be opinions on it going forward but that’s what people want to see. if it’s a legal fair try, maybe don’t go up with a live call or opinion, let’s allow the third eye to have an open mind and look at that decision.”

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