The Black and Whites boss is not a fan of the concept.
Hull FC interim head coach Andy Last.(Image: SW PIX)
Hull FC coach Andy Last has stated that the Super League competition doesn’t need to keep chasing the NRL, especially when it comes to captains challenge, instead saying the sport should go back to one of its core principles.
Captains challenge has frustrated many coaches, players, and supporters alike this season with the time taken to come to decisions.
Unfortunately, the sufficient camera angles just aren’t there to make the process as quick as the NRL, but for Last, the concept should go regardless and the referees decision should be final.
“I don’t like it as a concept,” Last told Hull Live. “I know we have followed the model of the NRL but they are a little bit further on in their infrastructure and ability to get top class camera footage. And it seems like they do things a little bit quicker than what we do. I just don’t like the look. I think it’s too stop start.
“I like the product that we’ve got; we shouldn’t always be chasing the NRL. We’ve got our own type of style and our own products and I just don’t like the look. There’s just no flow to the game. The first-half last week (at Warrington Wolves) lasted 53 minutes and that’s not a good look for anybody. I prefer the game to flow a little bit more.”
Instead, Last is happy to accept the referees call, even if that meant Hull wouldn’t have got the three successful decisions they challenged at Warrington.
“It’s one of those things, you look over the history of our sport, and there’s been some big, big calls made by referees, which have benefitted your team or hindered your team, and it makes it a spectacle,” Last said. “The referees, just like the players, they make mistakes. There’s going to be some mistakes which are more costly than others.
“I just don’t like the fact that the captains can challenge. I’m not a big lover of it. We’ve always been brought up on the referees call is final, and then it’s not final because someone can go and challenge it. I just don’t think it’s a good look for a game.
“I’m not one who is a big advocate of it. I’d rather it just be, ‘Look, the referee’s made a decision, just get on with it. Just go and play and deal with it.’ If he makes a bad call, he makes a bad call.
“We all make errors, don’t we? There’s been some great talking points over the course of history when you haven’t had the captains challenge. We’d still be looking at captain’s challenge now if it was the St Helens vs Bradford game and the Leon Pryce try or no try – they’d still be looking at it now, how many years ago was that? It wasn’t clear, but that was a great talking point.
“I think back to Chris Joint and the voluntary tackle with James Lowes at the end of the match. He’s blowing up at the referee and it’s a voluntary tackle. Imagine that as a captain’s challenge, so there’s been some unbelievable moments which have centred around decisions and referee decisions.
“On one side of the coin is it going for you as a team and then on the other side of coin it’s when it goes against you. It is what it is. I prefer just to get on with the game, like the referee has made a decision. If he doesn’t get it right, he doesn’t get it right.“