Former Sky Sports voice outlines how to fix Super League video referee amid new trial

A former Sky Sports voice has called on Super League to recall a key figure to help fix the video referee process, something which many fans have bemoaned in 2025.

Plenty of games have taken over two hours this season with the introduction of the captain’s challenge, the wider usage of the green card, and the slow video referee process all being contributing factors.

The delays have been met with widespread criticism, with former players such as Leon Pryce arguing that it stops fatigue thus ensuring that teams can recover and defend/attack more appropriately, thereby punishing the fitter teams.

Much of that criticism was heard by the RFL and they recently confirmed that a new trial for how the video referee system works would be utilised, something which has largely been met with praise.

Speaking earlier in May to the media, head of referees Phil Bentham explained: “We’re looking at improvements in the way we get replays from Sky, we work from Wilmslow and use a ref box with the referee choosing and selecting their own replays. We feel we were quicker under the system I used when I was a video referee, whereby the director is clued up on which could be the best angle.

“We did that at Magic and I felt it was quicker and more robust. We’ll trial that this weekend. The video ref will be going through the director rather than controlling their own replays on the ref box.”

Return of ex-Sky Sports director called for to aid Super League video referee process

Former Sky Sports duo Eddie Hemmings and Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson were broadcasting when that previous system was in place and they have welcomed news of the trial, speaking about it on their most recent Eddie and Stevo podcast.

Hemmings did highlight a key issue though, noting: “My only fear here is that Neville Smith is no longer in the director’s chair these days. A former referee himself, he knew exactly what the referees were looking for. I hope the new trial works.”

Stevo expanded, calling for an immediate return of Smith, at leas in the temporary to educate those in charge at Sky now. Smith stepped away in 2019 and formed his own sport’s broadcasting company but Stevo has urged him to return.

He argued: “If I had anything to do with running our game, the first person I’d ring is Neville Smith and I’d say ‘Neville, can you come and show them how this works, what they should be looking for, etc and so forth’.

“If you want a plumber, you don’t get a joiner, you make sure you have got someone who can do what you want.”

He added: “It would be a great idea to bring Neville Smith back into the director’s chair. Not running the game but to show these video referees and the people who are having to do it at Sky, to make sure they’re doing it right.

“I’d get on the phone ‘Neville, come and help out’.”