The captain’s challenge process in Super League is a ‘disaster’ according to pundit Jon Wilkin with Wigan Warriors winger Liam Marshall calling for big changes to the system.

Marshall, who is currently out recovering from a hamstring injury, made an appearance on Sky Sports’ The Bench Podcast, on which Jon Wilkin is a host alongside Jenna Brooks.

A feature of the podcast is the ‘on the bench’ section where guests are asked about something that they would like to bench, or eradicate from the game. For Marshall, the answer was simple enough.

“I think the time it takes for the Captain’s Challenge, there needs to be a cap on it,” the Wigan Warriors man said.

“It’s pretty bonkers at the minute. The momentum of the game can be stopped, the flow of the game, even for the fans it’s tough.

“I get why we have to have it but it just deflates the game.”

Wilkin agreed, going even further as he said: “I think it’s been a disaster for the live experience of a game, the fan experience of a game, and the TV experience of a game.”

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Super League urged to review ‘dull’ video referee process

Originally an NRL introduction to the sport, Super League followed suit and adopted the captain’s challenge ahead of the 2025 season, however, less than 18 months on and it’s already wearing thin.

Brooks pointed out that it creates confusion more than anything else, stating: “People at the ground have no idea what is being looked at and it takes them out (of the game).

“I remember being at Headingley the other week and there was a Captain’s Challenge that went on and on and on. The crowd, which was such an amazing atmosphere, just slowly oozed out of the stadium and then it was gone. It didn’t come back.”

Wilkin agreed and put forward another aspect of the game to change as he claimed the video referee process is far too slow, as he urged officials to simply check what needs checking rather than going through each and every possible issue when the issue is generally clear.

He argued: “If we are reviewing just whether he’s got his foot in touch, (in a situation where) it’s a try unless his foot is in touch, then we don’t have to check onside/offside, we don’t have to check if someone has touched it in the air, we don’t have to check the grounding, we just have to check if his foot is in touch.

“On a review, especially if a try has been given, and they review it in the background and they know his foot is in touch then just go to the angle that shows his foot in touch. Just say we’ve looked at everything else but his foot is in touch. It takes too long, it’s really dull.”