After yet another timekeeping bungle in Manly's win over Penrith on Sunday, Jamie Soward says the NRL should take a leaf out of golf's book and bring a touch of Royal Birkdale to Brookvale.
The Panthers were livid after the timekeeper, who it has emerged was standing on a chair in a box in the main stand, failed to hear referee Matt Ceccin call time-off after Tom Symonds' match-winning try due to the crowd noise.
He also couldn't see the whistleblower due to jubilant Sea Eagles fans blocking his view.
Symonds' crossed with just over 50 seconds remaining to cap a remarkable come-from-behind 26-25 win for his side.
But after Ceccin's call to the man in the stand went unheeded, the clock ran down, giving the Panthers no chance to hit back back with a field goal.
Soward was furious at the final siren as Ceccin explained what had happened and almost 48 hours after the incident he's come up with a tongue-in-cheek, left-field solution to prevent a repeat incident.
"I think they (the NRL) are already talking about fixing it up, they are going to get those little people at the golf with the `shoosh' signs," Soward said.
"That should help us next time when we're in a tight game like that.
"The refs will then be able to hear and 18,000 fans would have to be quiet.
"They can make a call and say `quiet please' and that way we won't lose 50 seconds off the clock."
Soward failed to hide his disdain for the excuse that the timekeeper couldn't' see Ceccin in a game that could potentially cost the Panthers a top-four spot if they fail to beat the Warriors on Sunday.
"He's up high in the box and 18,000 thousand fans are at eye level," he said
"I think the signs could definitely help with that (getting people to sit down).
"We can have six officials during the game, a timekeeper seven, a couple of people holding signs call it 11 ... happy days."
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