Video Referees Bill Harrigan and Tim Mander have issued a joint statement in reply to their decision last night to disallow a try to NSW Aussie Blues winger Jarryd Hayne in the eighth minute of the Harvey Norman State of Origin match at Etihad Stadium.
Discussion today has centred on the decision itself and the number of replays that were used in making the decision.
The video referees said that: “Touch judge Jeff Younis had requested that the referee have the sideline view checked.
“We felt on viewing the first ‘front-on’ angle that Jarryd Hayne’s foot had come into contact with the line.
“We wanted to check another angle from behind to assure ourselves there was no conflicting evidence.
“The first replay from that angle did not show his feet during the entire run to the line. The subsequent ‘front-on’ replay confirmed our initial view and we asked for a slow-motion replay as final evidence. At this stage we did not see the need for further angles.
“The normal production process meant that the director needed to play another view ‘while re-winding’ and this view was a ‘back-pack’ shot which we hadn’t seen before. He then replayed the front-on shot in slow motion which again confirmed our view.
“Because the back-pack shot had been a completely different angle we asked for it to be re-cued but, unfortunately, it replayed at the moment we believed the foot touched the line and we asked to rewind it.
“This time the director re-cued live to air and it confirmed our original opinion that the try should be disallowed.
“Obviously we were aware of the ‘benefit of the doubt’ option but we believed there was sufficient evidence to confirm our original thought that Jarryd’s foot had touched the line and we were both equally confident of that view.”
Please note that the above is an explanation of the process. It is in no way a criticism of the Nine Network.
Discussion today has centred on the decision itself and the number of replays that were used in making the decision.
The video referees said that: “Touch judge Jeff Younis had requested that the referee have the sideline view checked.
“We felt on viewing the first ‘front-on’ angle that Jarryd Hayne’s foot had come into contact with the line.
“We wanted to check another angle from behind to assure ourselves there was no conflicting evidence.
“The first replay from that angle did not show his feet during the entire run to the line. The subsequent ‘front-on’ replay confirmed our initial view and we asked for a slow-motion replay as final evidence. At this stage we did not see the need for further angles.
“The normal production process meant that the director needed to play another view ‘while re-winding’ and this view was a ‘back-pack’ shot which we hadn’t seen before. He then replayed the front-on shot in slow motion which again confirmed our view.
“Because the back-pack shot had been a completely different angle we asked for it to be re-cued but, unfortunately, it replayed at the moment we believed the foot touched the line and we asked to rewind it.
“This time the director re-cued live to air and it confirmed our original opinion that the try should be disallowed.
“Obviously we were aware of the ‘benefit of the doubt’ option but we believed there was sufficient evidence to confirm our original thought that Jarryd’s foot had touched the line and we were both equally confident of that view.”
Please note that the above is an explanation of the process. It is in no way a criticism of the Nine Network.
