‘What’s the point’: Sky pair slam video referee after Lewis Murphy call
Jon Wilkin has hit out at the video referee process again.
Sky Sports pundits Jon Wilkin and Jodie Cunningham have hit out at the video refereeing process after the controversial decision to disallow a St Helens try on Friday night: with Wilkin questioning the point of the system.
Saints winger Lewis Murphy appeared to score a crucial try early into the second half against Hull KR which would have narrowed a 28-4 half-time lead – though it remains hugely debatable over whether a sub-par visiting side could have mounted a comeback.
But despite being sent up as a try by the on-field officials, Murphy was adjudged to have grounded the ball on the line. From there, the Saints didn’t score another point and the Robins went on to win 34-4.
Both Wilkin and Cunningham insisted that decision was incorrect – with Cunningham stating the Saints were ‘hard done to’.
She said: “We were adamant it was a try because you can’t overrule it. For me they’re hard done to there.
“Okay, in the grand scheme of the game when you get to 34-4 at the end it doesn’t seem a big deal at the end. But it changes the way Hull KR maybe play the rest of that game. We’ve got to get those right.”
Wilkin went one step further – questioning the whole purpose of the video refereeing process after another controversial night for the system.
He said: “What’s the point in the video ref. It takes forever, the fans hate it, they get it wrong and it’s dull. If it’s not accurate, people don’t like it and it takes up loads of time and it’s dull.. we’ve got to change then. That’s wrong.”
Cunningham then suggested emulating the NRL’s bunker system before presenter Brian Carney pointed out Super League would be unable to afford such a process.
But Wilkin interjected: “We haven’t got the budget so let’s not try replicate it. That for me is not a budget issue. We can talk about budget, have a bunker and all of this, but that is an error. If the video referee is making mistakes with five or six looks at things.. what is the point?”
Saints coach Paul Wellens also admitted he felt the decision was incorrect.
When asked by Sky Sports if he thought the call was harsh, he said: “I do. But we’re used to those calls. When things are going against you those things tend to go against you too.”
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