The NRL today launched the NRL Bunker, the most state-of-the-art video referral technology in Australian sport.
Following extensive trialling in 2015 alongside further testing with NRL media partners during the 2016 pre-season, the NRL Bunker will be in full operation from Round One of the NRL Telstra Premiership, starting with Parramatta v Brisbane on March 3.
NRL Head of Football, Todd Greenberg said he was targeting an average of between 50 and 60 seconds for video reviews through the course of the 2016 season with the new technology.
This will compare to an average of 77 seconds for the 757 video referee decisions made through the course of the 2015 season.
The NRL Bunker, which will be based at Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh, will utilise Hawk-Eye Innovations video review technology and be supported by Telstra’s Digital Video Network platform.
In 2016, review officials will have access to multiple camera angles and playback control for all reviewable decisions. Touch screen interfaces, zoom functions and split screens will further enhance the decision making process.
“This is the result of an extraordinary amount of time and effort, through the planning of and then the construction of the most innovative video review system in Australian sport,” Mr Greenberg said.
“It will improve accuracy, efficiency, consistency and transparency, and combined with the introduction of the shot clock and a reduction in interchange, will result in a more free-flowing game.
“Make no mistake, this is a game changer; we will control the vision, and we will have access to much improved technology, which means will be able to make informed decisions much quicker than we have done previously.
NRL General Manager of Officiating Tony Archer said a greater consistency would be achieved as a result of the NRL Bunker.
“Last year, we used 22 video referees,” Mr Archer said.
The two Senior Review Officials – Bernard Sutton and Luke Patten – will share the duties overseeing every NRL match from The NRL Bunker.
Two Review Officials will also provide assistance to the senior official through the course of each match. The review officials will come from a pool which includes Bryan Norrie, Jason Robinson, Steve Chiddy, Ben Galea, as well as Sutton and Patten.
Mr Greenberg also said the NRL Bunker had significant and positive implications for the match review process.
He said that initially the NRL would retain the existing process of charging players.
However Mr Greenberg said he said he hoped to reach a point during the season when all charges could be issued within 24 hours of a game being completed.
“This has the potential to revolutionise our match review process,” Mr Greenberg said.
“Even now we are in a far better position than we were last season.
· Three broadcast cameras on remote control pan and tilt heads will beam pictures of the official review room to broadcasters for integration into their programming.