NRL captain’s challenge: Which position got it wrong in 2020?
Never believe a front rower’s call for a captain’s challenge became a mantra of 2020, but these statistics prove that the big boppers get a bad wrap.
Blues
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blues. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Poor old front-row forwards have become punching bags in the NRL this year for dud calls on captains’ challenges.
We’ve been relentlessly bagging them since the rule was introduced for stuffing up challenges, yet it turns out they are nowhere near the worst offenders.
A breakdown from Fox Sports statistics actually reveals the props have a 42 per cent record of getting them right. Their challenges have been upheld 16 on occasions from 38 attempts.
Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“You’ve got to be born honest to play in the front-row,” laughs Steve Blocker Roach, unofficial chairman of the old front-rowers club, “we don’t tell porkies.”
The worst offenders are actually the centres.
During the season they had 45 challenges – and got 35 wrong. That is a success rate of just 22 per cent.
Hopefully Freddy Fittler will ban Jack Wighton and Clint Gutherson from having any involvement in Wednesday night’s Origin.
Fittler will be heavily relying on the brains trust of the Sydney Roosters to ensure the Blues don’t waste challenge opportunities throughout the series.
Fittler has revealed he will be watching from the sideline in Adelaide on Wednesday night and will leave what has become such a crucial area of the game to his Roosters contingent.
“Our captain (Boyd Cordner), our assistant coach (Craig Fitzgibbon) and our trainer (Travis Touma) are from the Roosters,” Fittler said.
“They have a system they use with one out in the middle, one on the sideline and one with a replay in the coaching box.
“Boyd says you need to use a bit of gut instinct as well.
“You’ve got to have a feel for it and the reactions of some players in the heat of the moment after an error has been made.
“We’ve spoken about it and we’ve got a plan to try to ensure it’s not wasted.
“It’s become a really important part of the game. You certainly don’t want to stuff it up early.”
MORE BUZZ:
Real reason NRL referee boss ‘stood down’
Origin commentary to be most biased ever
Storm damage as another star faces exit
Overall this season there have been 261 challenges. Of those 157 were rejected and 104 upheld.
The rule has been a success in that it’s saved us from more than 100 refereeing errors.