ARL Chairman Peter V’landys has made the extraordinary decision that the NRL will proceed with just a single referee for the rest of the 2020 NRL season in a measure that has been put down to “cost cutting”.
Despite the fact the first two rounds of the competition were played under the now familiar two referee apparently the league which bring in a couple of hundred million dollars a year needs to scrimp and save on game officials. A brilliant idea…
This will no doubt have an effect on the betting markets and online casinos like johnnykash as the change to the number of referees are sure to see games slowed down with more wrestling than usual with a second on field referee not there to keep an eye on the ruck. More defensive oriented teams like the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters are sure to do much better under one referee.
The other change that has been made is that referees will be able to call “six again” at any point in the contest if they see an infringement in the ruck area. This has been put in place as a replacement for calling a penalty and slowing the game down with a stoppage.
There is no doubt we will not see any of the NRL coaches complain about this at any point during the season…
This seems like a very short sighted decision by the ARL Commission and one that should really worry supporters of Rugby League. That rules could be changed so quickly and easily mid season based on something so trivial is absolutely ridiculous.
The game of Rugby League is much, much bigger than just the NRL. The entire sports rules can not be changed with no consultation with all of the games stakeholders, after just a few meetings, with widespread condemnation by coaches, supporters and even players.
It is not good for the sport in general, across the world, when the top competition in the world can chop and change its rules because so few people think it is a good idea. How does this effect the outlook of Rugby League in Great Britain? How do French Rugby League supporters line up the games odds at goldenriviera casino en ligne if the National Rugby League decisions to make such big decisions about the way the competition is played.
I have proposed that the NRL have a rule in place by which it can not change its rules more than once within a 5 year period. That would stop ridiculous decisions like this.
You also have to wonder if we can get to a place where it is the International Rugby League that needs to rubber stamp any rule changes. That might sound extreme, but it would stop a scenario where we have so many different competitions using their own interpretation of the rules of the sport of Rugby League.
I think this is a terrible decision by the NRL, one that will be praised by the media, and then we will see the same media tear apart our undermanned on field officials and they try to do their best with such a massive change to the rule book and their team of officials as the NRL restarts the season.
I wouldn’t be shocked if this decision was overturned a month or so into the season. I also expect to see NRL coaches complaining each week, lower score lines in games, and teams tempting the referees with holding down in the ruck, almost daring them to use the sin bin.
The NRL referees have now find themselves in a position where there are less opportunities, some of the have been sacked, and now the pressure on them will be more than every.
Well done V’landys…..
NRL.com: Commission makes call: One ref plan finalised for 2020
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