Captain’s Challenge in SL 2025

[dkw]

Quote

Captain’s Challenge will be introduced to northern hemisphere Rugby League on a regular basis in 2025, starting from Round One of the Betfred Super League in February.

That was one of four laws changes accepted by the Rugby Football League Board at their meeting on Tuesday, following their recommendation by the RFL’s Laws Committee.

The new law will allow the captains in all televised fixtures in 2025 – also including the Betfred Challenge Cup, and the Women’s Super League and Challenge Cup – to refer a range of on-field decisions to the video referee.

But captains will have to use their challenge wisely, as each team will only be allowed one unsuccessful challenge in each fixture.

Actually dont mind this rule, think its quite sensible.

[JonM]

2 minutes ago, dkw said:

Actually dont mind this rule, think its quite sensible.

Just getting this in before anyone else does - "Saints/ Wigan/ Leeds/ team of your choice" have always had this  

[graveyard johnny]

57 minutes ago, dkw said:

Actually dont mind this rule, think its quite sensible.

please NO NO  and triple NO - the worst aspect of the modern game is lack of flow and stoppages - you could make a 3 course meal in the time it takes for the video ref to trawl through footage in the dullest fashion possible - more stoppages more lack of intensity is the last thing our game needs - people will just get bored and disinterested - NOT  the way to attract fans at all

[sentoffagain2]

16 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

please NO NO  and triple NO - the worst aspect of the modern game is lack of flow and stoppages - you could make a 3 course meal in the time it takes for the video ref to trawl through footage in the dullest fashion possible - more stoppages more lack of intensity is the last thing our game needs - people will just get bored and disinterested - NOT  the way to attract fans at all

  Could save a team losing a game through a wrong decision by the Ref.It works if the teams are allowed 1 each half and only lose it for a wrong challenge.

[Dunbar]

I wasn't a fan when it was first introduced but it has worked out ok in the NRL.

I thought it may undermine the ref but when they say "do you want to challenge" it shuts down any moaning (which we know shouldn't happen but does).

It is only one challenge per team per game (unless a challenge is successful in which case it rolls forward) and isn't too disruptive.  I wouldn't want it to be any more.

My main worry is if our tv games have the broadcast quality to make this work and whether a load will be inconclusive.

[graveyard johnny]

3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

 it has worked out ok in the NRL.

 

thats because the NRL  is much more polished and glamourous TV  production that what we have and can absorb it ok - it will be just another drawn out dull intensity killer for SL 

[yipyee]

50 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Could save a team losing a game through a wrong decision by the Ref.It works if the teams are allowed 1 each half and only lose it for a wrong challenge.

Could also give a team a breather when gased defending their own line or from a break, 2 mins break to get heir breath back.

I am for it by the way but will be surprised if it's not used in the way above at least once before round 3

[Damien]

I'm wasn't particularly a fan when this was first announced in the NRL, as the less stoppages the better for me, but after seeing it in action I'm not as against it as I was initially.

My big worry though is that I don't mind it as much as I thought I would because it is relatively quick in the NRL. With our poor camera setups, poor production and poor broadcast quality I do worry any challenge may take much longer in SL and won't be half as slick.

[graveyard johnny]

modern society has such a short attention span when it comes to entertainment - they will just switch off another bore fest 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

1 hour ago, Dunbar said:

but when they say "do you want to challenge" it shuts down any moaning (which we know shouldn't happen but does).

This is the exact reason I want it.

Teams only get one incorrect call per half, so it's not like there'll be loads. If there is loads, then the referee needs to do better! 

Great move. Most people I've spoken are happy it's coming in. 

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

This is the exact reason I want it.

Teams only get one incorrect call per half, so it's not like there'll be loads. If there is loads, then the referee needs to do better! 

Great move. Most people I've spoken are happy it's coming in. 

Indeed.  And it is one per game, not one per half.

[Just Browny]

Always thought this was more about 'put up or shut up' rather than something that would generate lots of actual challenges. In favour in principle, but concerned that the low number of cameras and poor resolution of the images will mean a lot of inconclusive cases.

[JohnM]

At one failed challenge  per game and six SL games per round, I can't see the word "many" being used.

[graveyard johnny]

have we got a better angle? show me that angle again - that last angle might be the one go back to that one - have we got anymore angles? wheres the tv remote to watch something else BORING !

[binosh]

This will definitely help the amount of times a ball steal gets called a knock on.

[Hopie]

I think we already rely on the video ref too much for decisions, so adding more of them into the game is a bad idea.

Let's see if the big daft lads can hold onto their challenge long enough for it to be useful, the cricket challenges are often thrown out in hope rather than expectation, although only having one should reduce that. I expect there will also be tactical uses as noted and lots of using it in the last few minutes when you might as well rather than not use it, and more examples of video refs getting decisions wrong even with "all the angles" which won't help.

[Futtocks]

12 minutes ago, Hopie said:

I think we already rely on the video ref too much for decisions, so adding more of them into the game is a bad idea.

Let's see if the big daft lads can hold onto their challenge long enough for it to be useful, the cricket challenges are often thrown out in hope rather than expectation, although only having one should reduce that. I expect there will also be tactical uses as noted and lots of using it in the last few minutes when you might as well rather than not use it, and more examples of video refs getting decisions wrong even with "all the angles" which won't help.

Part of the fun is when a forward demands a challenge with 100% certainly, because they tend to be correct as often as their club's more one-eyed fans are on social media (and that includes TRL).

[LeeF]

47 minutes ago, JohnM said:

At one failed challenge  per game and six SL games per round, I can't see the word "many" being used.

2 failed challenges per game 

[LeeF]

22 minutes ago, Hopie said:

I think we already rely on the video ref too much for decisions, so adding more of them into the game is a bad idea.

Let's see if the big daft lads can hold onto their challenge long enough for it to be useful, the cricket challenges are often thrown out in hope rather than expectation, although only having one should reduce that. I expect there will also be tactical uses as noted and lots of using it in the last few minutes when you might as well rather than not use it, and more examples of video refs getting decisions wrong even with "all the angles" which won't help.

Let’s wait for a team to “burn” a challenge and then need one for a clear cut error in the last minute. Cue the outcry for an increase in the number of challenges available which is what happened in cricket. 

[LeeF]

Well that’s one “top 5” article written for next season. The top 5 most successful challenging clubs 

[sentoffagain2]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

modern society has such a short attention span when it comes to entertainment - they will just switch off another bore fest 

  They stand for goal kickers taking a full minute and then the clock is stopped and we wait longer before the kick is attempted that slows the game down.

[JohnM]

12 minutes ago, LeeF said:

2 failed challenges per game 

Oh yes, one failed challenge per side.

[gingerjon]

13 minutes ago, LeeF said:

Let’s wait for a team to “burn” a challenge and then need one for a clear cut error in the last minute. Cue the outcry for an increase in the number of challenges available which is what happened in cricket. 

And the Aussies still blew it at Headingley.

[48C North Stand]

This will work if the video ref for try decisions is done away with. 

We need to reassert the authority of match officials and their decisions being seen as final and stop over-examining if they were correct or not. 

More lengthy stoppages whilst slow motion video is micro-analysed will ruin the game as a spectator sport as it has with soccer. 

[sam4731]

I never understand the argument of taking away authority from the ref. Literally every other industry has quality assurance/control, yet in sport there is a certain group who think that there should be one decision maker and no other shall have their opinion even if that individuals decisions are wrong.