NRL could have stopped forward pass blunder

The forward pass that proved the turning point in the Raiders' unexpected loss to the Warriors last weekend could and should have been avoided.

An English firm that has developed new technology whereby a GPS chip is placed in the football has been in talks with the NRL for nearly a year.

The chip detects forward passes with 100 per cent accuracy and would have alerted referee Henry Perenara that the crucial Warriors try in Canberra came from a blatantly forward pass, leading to an explosive Ricky Stuart press conference.

The NRL is keen to implement the technology – which has already been used successfully in English rugby union and other codes.

But things are moving slowly and the NRL wants to run a series of trials to ensure the technology will work in league and thus the microchips are unlikely to be introduced until next season.

Talks are ongoing with the English firm that manufactures the chips – Sportable – but so far no formal deal has been struck.

The chip will also prove of great value to NRL clubs – it measures the distance of kicks and passes and provides other useful data.

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