It has been less than two years since the NRL took the decision to return to a single referee on the field.
That decision came amongst a sweeping change in the rules to the game as the competition looked to speed things up, and a number of budget cuts both on and off the field amid the COVID pandemic's first lockdown and the game's suspension for over three months.
The NRL officiating department was slashed with referees being let go thanks to needing only half of the officials to control games each round.
It was first reported during October that some clubs were sick of the one referee system however, arguing the game was simply too fast for a single official to do it all on his or her own.
But now, clubs are reportedly lobbying for a new proposal to the NRL.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, some of the game's more powerful clubs have proposed to the NRL that a second official should be on the field, but shouldn't be carrying a whistle.
This would mean the second official, who would rove around the ruck as he or she used to before the game went back to a single referee in charge of each contest, would simply be acting as a second set of eyes for the main official, and then would be able to communicate to them any assistance with ruck infringements or the game itself.
NRL clubs, in proposing the game go back to two referees during a summit of all 16 clubs at the end of the season, identified the lack of a ten metres being enforced, and inconsistency of ruck infringements being called as a major reason the sport should go back to two referees, which was used for a number of seasons with varying levels of success.
The report suggests the Australian Rugby League Commission will meet early next week to discuss the proposal.
