This Video Of A Mic'd Up A-League Referee Is Still A Fascinating Watch

We all hate VAR, there's absolutely no denying that.

But in the early stages of its life back in 2019, one video alone gave football fans across the globe a glimmer of hope that the controversial technology could actually be a success.

And that one single clip came from right here in Australia.

A few years back, respected referee Jarred Gillett was mic'd up for his final ever A-League game.

Gillett, who now officiates in the English Football League, was overseeing the clash between the Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium.

The game itself was a rather timid affair, with the final score ending 1-1.

But what made this match so important didn't really have anything to do with either team, it was more to do with the referee himself - who, for once, was the star attraction.

To give some context, this was the first season that VAR was introduced to the A-League with Australia playing the role of the crash test dummy before the technology eventually made it's way onto European shores (and we all know how that panned out).

And don't get me wrong, A-League fans were pulling their hair out for most of season with the introduction of the technology.

But when it mattered most, when the bright lights and cameras were pointed square in Gillett's face, the system ultimately shone through and looked - for a split second - like a revolutionary piece of equipment.

Fox Sports Australia released the video on their YouTube channel and it instantly went viral online with football fans around the globe tagging their anti and pro-VAR mates.

As for the four-minute clip itself, it makes for intriguing viewing to say the least.

You can see exactly what's happening behind the scenes as the referees, linesmen and video assistants work together efficiently to officiate the game.

And yes, while there was the usual stop-start pauses that us Premier League tragics have become so accustomed to, the natural ebb and flow of the game didn't seem to be lost during the 90 minutes.

Granted, you can very easily put that down to good refereeing - which is certainly was - but seeing VAR assisting in the way it should somewhat proves why football's governing bodies have thrown so much money behind it.

On top of that, we didn't witness any minuscule measurements of players' sleeves or their flicking fringes while determining offside calls as well as the other added stuff that the Premier League has introduced themselves.

It seems bizarre to even jump to this conclusion, but this raw, stripped-back version of VAR actually seems decent.

Topics: A-League, Premier League, Video Assistant Referee, Australia, VAR

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry