NRL referee boss Tony Archer says changes have been made to improve refereeing standards this year.
There will be two referees on the field but the senior referee — or team leader — nominated before the game will control a minimum 80 per cent of the contest.
The pair will work together as a team for most of the season to build up an on-field relationship.
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg is confident the tweaks will improve refereeing.
‘‘In the last 10 minutes of a game Johnathan Thurston will get his hands on the ball more than any other player in his team,’’ Greenberg said.
‘‘The same principle applies in refereeing, you need a leader.’’
Archer said the senior referee — wearing an armband — would officiate from the ruck position, giving him the freedom to move.
‘‘We used the plan during the finals last year,’’ Archer said.
‘‘We perhaps didn’t publicise it well enough but we were happy with how it went.
‘‘The assistant ref can come in to assist whenever the team leader wants.
‘‘This will allow him to get his heart rate down, be more composed and this will allow him to make better decisions.’’
Archer predicted a rise in penalties in the opening weeks of the new season as players became used to the new laws around the ruck which the NRL hoped would reduce three-man tackles.
Archer and the NRL want to reduce the slowing tactics in defence where three-man tackles clutter the ruck area.
‘‘Players infringing at the ruck will be penalised,’’ Archer said.
‘‘Penalties will be high at the start, but the clubs have known about this since December.
‘‘We have made 70 visits to clubs to brief them in full and they have had plenty of time to work on the changes that have to be made.’’
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