I think if they went back to the 5 metre rule (or the unofficial 7 metres) it would help a lot. I'm a supporter of what V'landys has been trying to do. It's pretty clear they see the late 80's into the 90's as the golden age of league (something I agree with wholeheartedly) and are trying to replicate it. I reckon they can achieve this to a point by re-introducing that rule. It would help with the early blow outs.
I completely agree with you about the refs. I'd maybe keep the video refs for decisions involving the dead ball and sidelines only. They can be bloody hard to pick and they're usually resolved quickly. If they've going to have communication with anyone make it the touchie. If they're being paid more than $15 an hour they're getting overpaid. They do absolutely bugger all now. Make them earn their coin. If they're looking at back play, obstructions etc, and tipping the ref, or coming onto the field for foul play then it's only going to help them develop into better refs themselves. Which is surely what they're aiming for.
I can cop mistakes. None of us are perfect and the refs are on a hiding to nothing. If Lockyer, for example, was subject to the abuse and diatribe that refs are every time they are viewed to have made the slightest mistake, every time he missed a tackle his head would have exploded. I use him as an example of someone who was a great player but missed a lot of tackles, hence made a lot of mistakes every single game. The refs have to make many more decisions every game than a player has to. They have the hardest job on the field, from a decision making and mental perspective.
Of course we can always go back the wrestling, stop/start boring structured bullshit of the last 15 years, when you'd get about 30 minutes of play in an 80 minute game. The games were a lot closer then. There's no pleasing some 'fans' though.
