C’mon Ref, you need glasses – Samsung has a cool solution to a common weekend suburban challenge

When you watch any huge sporting event and something controversial happens it’s second nature to look up at the big screen to see if you saw what everybody else saw. Being a one-eyed supporter, your eyes can sometimes play tricks on you.

At some point in time we have all probably spent an uncomfortable couple of hours rugged up against the cold at your kid’s suburban football game. When you just know the ref got it wrong you throw your hands in the air, probably mumble a few choice words, and then convince yourself little Johnny was hard done by. No big screen to check here at your local club ground and no way to check with the bunker….or is there?

The cutting-edge technology in modern smartphones has allowed the logical next step to be taken. Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

Football legend Archie Thompson has been trialling a new technology approach with the assistance of Samsung and in particular the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

In conjunction with The Sutherland Sharks FC, Archie trialled the use of this advanced handset to demonstrate just how effective the VAR technology can be to help reduce the howlers and dissipate tensions when those inevitable tough calls are made.

In what they are calling the “Ultra Field Test” all the action is captured and close calls would be reviewed utilising the ultra zoom and slow-motion capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The recent trial compared the first half of a match, VAR-free then the use of the technology featured heavily in the second half.

Check out the footage here

Archie Thompson said he felt the use of this technology can help sporting codes at grassroots level. He said “When VAR was first introduced about a decade ago, I had my doubts about how it could impact the flow of the game. At the professional level, whether it was playing for Australia or in the national league, there were always multiple cameras and officials to help make the right call. But it’s completely different at grassroots level. Refs have to make calls without the help of VAR tech – with players, coaches and parents all watching – that’s where the tension can build quickly. What stood out to me is how something as simple as instant slow-motion replay helped diffuse that pressure – it gave the refs more confidence and kept everyone focused on what actually mattered – the game!”

The S26 Ultra is uniquely placed to capture everything required to help diffuse potential dramas. Not only does the zoom let you get close up, Super Steady and Horizontal Lock help keep the picture stable and Audio Eraser removes unwanted background noise when reviewing footage. Having experienced my fair share of local weekend sport that audio eraser feature would come in very handy for times when over-enthusiastic parents do more than mumble those few choice words.

With over 3 million children participating in organised sport each year and the fact that everyone has a mobile phone, filming the action is part of the experience. The collaboration between Samsung and Archie Thompson takes it to another level.

Nathan Rigger, Head of Product, Mobile eXperience at Samsung Electronics Australia said  “For many parents, supporting their kids at Saturday sports is about being present in the moment and capturing key memories. Whether it’s a stunning goal or a match-winning save, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed to capture these moments perfectly”

So whether this becomes a permanent feature of grassroots sport in the future is yet to be known but it sure would help de-escalate the tension in some cases, but on the other hand no doubt create a whole new set of things to argue over as well.