The Titans/Manly and Saints/Canterbury games have shown up something that worries me....
We have the advantage of 3 referees being present (and video replay), yet some decisions in the back end of very close games can still be left in the hands of just one referee, and nothing can be done to stop him from making a "clanger" of a decision - even if the other referees can see it is a "clanger" or have something to contribute, they can't.
The views of the on-field refs aren't sought once it goes to the video ref. In the Saints/Canterbury "no try" call, might it have been different if the video ref had told the on-field refs why he was about to rule "no try"? Might they have said something to have helped get the right decision?
What if in a situation like in the Titans/Manly game if the 2nd ref had a better view of the Campbell/Orford challenge and saw it was completely ok? Despite the advantage of having the extra ref, it doesn't help in getting the right decision. I wonder if in situations where the main ref is contemplating awarding a game deciding penalty, if he shouldn't first call time off, and quickly check with the other officials?
We've got 3 refs, but there are still plenty of situations where they are still acting alone - and even if one or both of the other refs see a "clanger" of a decision being awarded, they can do nothing to stop it or overturn it there and then when it matters.