THE Captain’s Challenge rule could be introduced in Super League for the 2025 season, the RFL’s new Head of Match Officials, Phil Bentham, has revealed.
The Captain’s Challenge has been rolled out successfully in the NRL, with the rule often a dominant feature in first-grade games.
The ruling allows teams to challenge a refereeing decision, with the captain given the final say. If the referee is proved right by video referral, then the team will lose their challenge.
If the team is right, however, they will retain their right to challenge.
For Bentham, it’s an idea that is heavily supported in the game of rugby league.
“Lots of players and lots of coaches think it’s a great idea. We could never do it because we didn’t feel, with two video refs and four games without a video ref, that it would be a fair playing field.
“If you can imagine a last minute try on a game that’s not on TV and that captain couldn’t challenge that call, that’s not fair in the league but we’re not in that situation anymore.
“It’s certainly something that I’m working with the NRL just to get their feel on it.”
Another point of contention in recent seasons has been the lack of clarity explained to fans inside grounds as to how a decision has been made by a video referee.
That could soon be changed, too, with Bentham confirming that the RFL is considering plans to bring in some live stadium feed.
“Why can we not have a conversation between two people who are experts – one on the ground and one with all the replays?
“Obviously it’s quite difficult in some of our stadia where the screens, if you were at the far end as a referee whether you’d be able to see the screen or not.
“That probably wouldn’t be the factor, it’s the conversation between the two professionals that for me would make the difference.
“Broadcasting refereeing decisions is the way it’s going in rugby union and I know football are on the starting line at the moment.
“So we might have to find a way of doing that, otherwise we’ve suddenly gone to a video ref on every game, which has brought us in line with other sports, and then we’re going to fall back again. So it might be something that we need to find a way of doing.”
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