The video ref system is a farce.

It was initially implemented SOLELY because it would (we were told) prevent the kinds of errors we were seeing regularly by referees.

It hasn't.

In spades.

Which, I think, ranks as a failure on 100% of the criteria.

Tbf it's not bad if you take away the ones involving obstruction. They're ok overturning an on field try if they see a knock on or a foot in touch.....but give them an obstruction one and they'll go "umm, ahh....I don't think it's a try but it was sent up as one so I have to stick with it"

And you can usually tell when they aren't comfortable with the decision on field because they'll be the ones with the most replays. The Leeds try ruled out at Wigan, you could sense the VR wasn't sure of the refs on field call of no try otherwise he wouldn't have watched it over and over again.

And for this get rid of the VR some people suggest. Pointless if we are still airing games on TV as it won't end debates post match.

If we'd have gotten rid of the VR at the start of the year, Thaler still would've awarded that try incorrectly and people would've kicked off saying that if we'd have kept the VR that try would've been chalked off.

Now people will say that the 3/4 SL games that aren't on Sky that week manage. But then again people don't get to see several replays at slow motion when they watch highlights of the tries scored in non Sly games.

I feel for you mate.Your season finished on a disgrace decision like that.Powell should be calling for heads to roll, but nothing will happen.

Nope, Cas had a shocker of an opening quarter granted but huge credit for their spirited comeback, i was all set for switching over at 18-0 after 15 minutes!

Also, the decision was at such a key point in the game.26-24 to cas, the try is chalked off and Cas get the penalty go down field and, who knows?, finish the game off.But the try was followed up by an immediate penalty from the restart and try to Saints and a 12 point swing in 2 minutes.The fact they still got within 4 must be an absolute choker for the Cas fans, it was all on that shocker of a call too.

The on field decision is the daftest thing i've seen in RL since fat nige was in charge of us

I know we call referee's but I think we all realise that in real time, and at pace,they will make errors. we might not be happy if it affects our side but it happens. sometimes you gain through an error.
however there is no excuse for the video referee. the idea and system is good.
but when silverwood gives such a blatantly wrong decision such as last night, with the aid of countless replays, then you have to question his competence. it boils down to two two things. his competence or his neutrality. i'd like him to come out and explain his reasoning but it won't happen.

Lots of if's and but's there......if Wilkin's try was given at 18:0 then Cas are completely out of it, if Percival's try isn't disallowed then the gap is wider at the end. (I haven't watched it back on TV yet, so not 100% sure what the right calls were).

The turning point for for me was Cas's decision to go for 2 points at 24:24 all. We were rocking again at that point and leaking tries, if Cas get 6 points there it is a completely different game. As it was, Cas dropped the ball from the kick off and we scored 12 points before they touched the ball again.

Cunningham has come out and slagged off the VR system..... because it was all against Saints, couldn't make it up could you.

Ref's do not understand the playing side of the game. If you have an ex-player in charge of that decision the try would never have been given.

This is exactly what the problem is.

Anyone watching the NRL would know that this system caused chaos over there last season and yet for some reason the rfl still thought it would be a good idea to bring it to super league.

I always thought the idea of making the on field ref make an initial decision was so that - in the rare instance of the video ref being inconclusive - they would revert back to the initial call made by the on field ref.

But instead what seems to be happening is that the video ref's decision is being influenced by the initial try/no try call. So in last night's example because Ben had initially said try, a clear obstruction ended up being ignored.

No mention of on-field ref giving a try for Percival then it being disallowed when it looked like he grounded it?

Wonder why that is . . . . . . .