Call for return to single referee a cut that goes too far for Kearney
Adapting to change has been the New Zealand Warriors’ modus operandi after having to relocate to Australia for the restart of the NRL season, but coach Stephen Kearney wants things to remain the same on the field.
The NRL’s Project Apollo committee last week recommended a switch from two referees to one when the season returns this month. It’s a move that could save the Australian Rugby League Commission $1 million.
The proposal has the backing of ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys, with an announcement expected this week.
“I’m totally supportive. No 1 is because when we did a fans’ survey last year, one of the biggest issues was they wanted one referee,” V’landys told NRL.com.
“But also in this new time and age of cost reductions in the organisation, it just saves a lot of money.”
Kearney, however, has joined fellow coaches Des Hasler of Manly and
Trent Robinson of the Roosters in opposing the idea.
“It’s just too hard to implement that now. We’ve been used to two referees for a long time,” Kearney told Newstalk ZB’s Martin Devlin from the team’s base in Tamworth.
“I know there’s been a lot of debate about having two referees on the field but to throw that on us in three weeks, I think that’s too big an adjustment.”
Kearney said the Warriors, who arrived in the New South Wales town eight days ago, will hopefully begin full contact training today after being restricted to training in groups of 10.
“It is supposed to kick off [today], the full contact work. We’re waiting for confirmation of that. It’s worked out well that we’ve been able to focus on some fundamental skill early on in the week, we’ll start picking that up once we get together as a full team.”