By Adam Pengilly
The amount of times NRL referees are relying on the bunker has been slashed by as much as a quarter this season as the often maligned central review system takes a back seat to on-field officials.
In the clearest sign yet referees boss Tony Archer has encouraged whistleblowers to back their own judgment on the field, the bunker's involvement has been reduced by almost 24 per cent during the first three rounds compared to last season.
Referees sent point-scoring plays up to the bunker an average of 2.7 times a game before the start of round four, well down on the at-times infuriating 3.53 referrals a game in 2016.
And that figure is despite the NRL trumpeting more points being scored in the opening two rounds of the season in the history of a 16-team competition and seven more tries scored in the first three rounds compared to last year.
Reduced influence: Referees are making more decisions in 2017 and referring less to the bunker.Credit: Matthew Vasilescu
Despite referees being forced to adjudicate on more point-scoring plays than ever before, they are confident in not immediately referring to the $2 million bunker as a safety net.
"I encourage the referees to make decisions when they are in a good position to adjudicate," Archer said. "In circumstances where they have doubts about whether or not it's a point-scoring play, they always have the option to refer.
"While it is obviously still early in the season, I'm certainly comfortable with the way the officials have approached the referral process this year."
The result of referees backing themselves more on the park has also resulted in elapsed game time being reduced slightly by 30 seconds a game on the 2016 average.
The NRL had already moved to reduce the bunker's involvement this year following an exhaustive review of its role at the end of 2016.
Despite scathing criticism of a number of contentious calls in its first year, the NRL hailed its introduction a success.
But it didn't stop a decision to reduce its powers with the video review system no longer ruling on knock-ons in general play and 40-20 kicks, restricting its power to point-scoring plays, in-goal restarts and reportable foul play.
It has contributed to a much more free-flowing brand of football this season with the referees happy to wrest back control.
The Sydney-based central review system has most notably come under scrutiny for a no-try ruling against Will Chambers in the Storm's gripping win over the Broncos in round three – a decision later backed by Archer – but has largely escaped the same criticism which enveloped it last year.