NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has confirmed that Graham Annesley's weekly football briefings will not continue in 2025, ending a seven-season tradition of public explanations of refereeing decisions.
The move signals a shift in how the NRL addresses controversial rulings, with explanations now expected to be handled on a case-by-case basis rather than through regular Monday sessions.
The briefings, which began under Annesley in 2018, became a fixture of the NRL news cycle, offering statistical breakdowns and detailed assessments of key referee calls.
They continued remotely via Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic before returning to in-person sessions at NRL headquarters in Moore Park.
Abdo confirmed the decision was part of the league's post-season review, with concerns that the weekly scrutiny of referees was becoming excessive.
โAs part of the post-season review in 2024, we decided that we do not require the regular Monday football briefings,โ Abdo said, speaking to NCA newswire.
โWe will continue to update media, fans and clubs on significant football matters as required in the season.โ
Under the new approach, contentious rulings will be addressed selectively, similar to the NRL's response to the Jack Howarth no-try controversy in the 2023 grand final.
Instead of structured weekly briefings, the league will provide explanations only for incidents deemed significant enough to warrant further clarification.
The change means media and fans will no longer have access to a scheduled review of refereeing decisions, relying instead on ad-hoc updates from the NRL when required.
The move is expected to reduce the focus on officiating and limit the weekly cycle of debate surrounding contentious calls.
