Exclusive: Leigh Centurions owner Derek Beaumont wants structure change and speaks out on referees and disciplinary

With rugby league at one of the most important stages of its lifetime, plans have been mooted about the possible changes to league structures.

Promotion and relegation has been a key sticking point with some advocates of continuing with the current format and others wanting a franchise system to bring more stability to Super League.

And, for Leigh Centurions owner Derek Beaumont, he wants to see a new structure altogether.

“I’m hoping we go into two groups of tens and I think that would be good for the game,” Beaumont told Serious About Rugby League.

The Leigh man also wants to see the referees’ jobs eased.

“The job that referees have to do is far too difficult – look at all the decisions they have to make in a split second.

“The ball gets kicked off, the referee has to think ‘is everyone behind the ball?’ ‘Did the ball get caught cleanly?’ ‘Was the tackle high?’ ‘Is the ruck clean?’ ‘Has he got up right?’ ‘Has he played it correctly?’ ‘Is the team offside?’ ‘Is it a forward pass?’

“All of that has gone on in the first ten seconds of the game.”

The Disciplinary Match Review Panel has come in for criticism in recent times, and Beaumont wants the RFL to stop going overboard on charges handed to players after games have gone.

“We are micro-analysing the games too much after the event – we are sterilising the game.

“Players are frightened to death of everything and then somebody rings you up on Monday morning saying this player in on a charge for things that are dealt with in the game.

“If the game has gone the game has gone – you are actually benefiting the team that plays that team next and not the team that could have gained the advantage during the game.

“The inconsistency is difficult; it’s a difficult job, but it can be made easier by doing less of it.

“If it isn’t dealt with by the referee on the field it’s gone and it’s not been dealt with.”