Peter Smith: Law changes to speed up games look like a step in the right direction

THERE CAN be too much of a good thing.
Jack Walker is tackled by Warrington's Daryl Clark.Jack Walker is tackled by Warrington's Daryl Clark.
Jack Walker is tackled by Warrington's Daryl Clark.

Generally, Betfred Super League round one delivered what was promised: some good, close games, a touch of controversy, at least one shock result and decent-sized crowds. But the best thing about it was, the games didn’t take two hours!

Over the last few years the running time of matches in the top flight, particularly televised ones, has got longer and longer and that benefits nobody, especially on dark, cold evenings in January and February.

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That’s one of the reasons for the new laws introduced this season, scrapping the free-play and putting a time limit on scrums and drop-outs.

Chris Kendall.Chris Kendall.
Chris Kendall.

It is early days, but the changes seem to have worked and the game is better for that.

One way to speed things up even further would be by revamping, or ideally axing, the video refereeing system used for televised games.

That still takes far too long and often decisions which don’t need to be checked are being handed on.

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There is no real need for numerous replays. Extra camera angles sometimes do help, but it is rare something suddenly becomes obvious on the 10th viewing if it wasn’t clear after two or three.

Any video ref who needs more than half a dozen replays is guessing anyway, so it would save a lot of time to limit them to two or three viewings and, if they aren’t sure, go with the on-field decision.

Alternatively, similar to sports such as cricket or tennis, captains could be given a limited number of appeals per half, or full game, which they would lose if the original decision from the referee was upheld. Leeds’ Kallum Watkins might have used a challenge early in the game at Warrington Wolves, when Jack Walker had a touchdown ruled out for an alleged knock-on.

Referee Chris Kendall did not go to the screen on that occasion and, if he had, a try may well have been awarded, but under the current format the men in the middle get damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

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Referees are apparently set to make more use of team warnings and sin-binnings this season. There were two yellow cards in Leeds’ defeat at Warrington, with both Wolves second-rowers Jack Hughes and Toby King spending 10 minutes on the naughty step.

King has picked up a one-match ban for a dangerous throw on Stevie Ward and Ben Westwood two games for fouling Konrad Hurrell, which was punished on the day with only a penalty. Hughes’ sin-binning came after he tackled Hurrell off the ball, when the centre would almost certainly have scored had he taken Ash Handley’s return pass.

Leeds conceded eight points against 12 men and should have done better, but Hughes got away lightly for what was a crucial illegal intervention.

There wasn’t anything more Kendall could have done, it wasn’t a red-card offence and there was no case for a penalty try, so maybe longer sin-binnings could be an option for professional fouls which prevent a try?

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Warrington began the season as joint title favourites, along with St Helens and Steve Price’s side certainly look worthy of that tag if judged on their 20-minute purple patch which put Rhinos to the sword in the first half.

London Broncos remain the most likely team to finish bottom, but their 42-24 home win over Wakefield Trinity was just the sort of result they – and the competition – needed in round one.

Broncos should not be underestimated, which might be how Wakefield slipped up, despite coach Chris Chester’s warnings to his players before the game.

At 12-0 Trinity looked like running away with it, but London play on an artificial pitch and are prolific points scorers so opposing teams will take them lightly at their peril.

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It is also worth noting Broncos have won three of their last four meetings with top-flight opposition.

What Chester described as a “kick up the backside” won’t do Wakefield any long-term harm and London make Super League a national competition so there are wider benefits to them at least being competitive this year.