
Sky Sports pundit has called for the video referee system to be ‘canned’ after a controversial call in St Helens’ loss to Hull KR.
The Red Vee lost 34-4 to Super League leaders Hull KR with St Helens trailing 28-4 at halftime after a late first-half flurry of tries for the home side.
Ultimately, Hull KR would score the next and final points but Saints had a Lewis Murphy try ruled out which would have made it 28-10 and potentially breathed life into Paul Wellens‘ side.
Sky Sports host Brian Carney raised the topic following comments from Paul Wellens alluded to the decision. Carney made the point of raising the issue so as to avoid suggestions of bias given that both pundits Jon Wilkin and Jodie Cunningham have connections to St Helens and he was firm in his belief that Ben Thaler should not have overturned the on-field decision.
The Sky host said: “I’m not saying it’s a game-changer or that they would have won the game. I think what we are seeing is a reaction to the long decisions by the video referee that they are artificially trying to speed it up.
“This went up as a try by the on-field referee so you have to find definitive proof that that ball hit first the touching goal line. I don’t think he can find that. That has to remain a try.”
St Helens’ overturned try sees pundits call for video referee changes
Cunningham and Wilkin both then had their say with the current St Helens captain agreeing before the former St Helens captain took aim at the whole video referee system.
“We were all adamant that it was a try, because you couldn’t overrule it,” argued Cunningham.
“I don’t think you can argue that the apex of that ball doesn’t at some point touch and hit the ground before it touches the touch line.
“For me, I think they are really hard done to then. Yes, OK, in the grand scheme of the game, once you get to a 34-4 at the end, it doesn’t seem a big deal.
“But at that point in time, that could be a 28-10 and it changes the way that Hull KR maybe play the rest of that game. It does, I think, make a difference. You can’t say that it doesn’t. We’ve got to get those right. We’ve got to.”
In response, Wilkin pulled no pushed as he asked: “What’s the point in the video, ref? What’s the point? It takes forever. The fans hate it. It’s dull. And they get it wrong.
“What’s the point? Just get rid of it. People don’t like it. It takes up loads of time. It’s repetitive and it’s dull.
“We’ve got to change that. It has to change because that’s wrong.”
Put to him by Brian Carney that it cannot change and could not replicate the NRL’s system, which Carney labelled as “probably a $2 million system”, Wilkin rubbished talk of the budget and pointed to what he felt was a clear error.
“Yeah, we haven’t got the budget, so then let’s not try and replicate it,” he responded.
“That, for me, is not a budget issue. You can talk about budget. That in that corner is nothing to do with that. It’s an error.
“If the video referee is making mistakes with five or six looks at things, what’s the point? Get rid of it. What’s the point if it’s not accurate and it doesn’t come up with the right answer? Can it!”
⏹ Full time in Round 13 at Sewell Group Craven Park.#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/DNfbO2xxfo
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) May 30, 2025

Rushy 64
May 31, 2025 at 11:38 am
If you are going to Rant, Jon, please don’t draw conclusions based on a couple of incidents.
Referees, video referees, players, YOU, all make mistakes.
Only last week everyone was raving about a try scored by Burgess against Warrington. The referee ruled as no try but the video evidence was conclusive it WAS a try. I think you’d have to agree that was the right decision and one worth the quite short wait in that instance?
Certainly too many decisions take too long. Maybe have a video referee clock? If the video ref doesn’t come to a conclusion in the time, The on-field decision stands. Undoubtedly this also has some holes in the theory, but it would cut down the length of time we have to all sit watching interminable play after play of the same incident.