Brisbane captain Sam Thaiday believes the ARL Commission (ARLC) should consider adding a retired player to its restructured NRL referees panel.
Thaiday revealed players lost confidence in some referees and the video review system during a 2012 season littered by refereeing blunders.
Referees co-coaches Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper were both dumped as a result of a review of the refereeing system - with former NRL coach Daniel Anderson put in charge of the whistleblowers and Tony Archer and Russell Smith appointed as technical advisers.
But while Thaiday was happy with the changes, he said the ARLC could go one step further by adding a player's perspective to the panel.
"It was very frustrating for the players but hopefully having a coach (Anderson) on board will help get that consistency we all want," Thaiday told AAP.
"Maybe they could put an ex-player on the panel as well to give it an even better understanding."
Thaiday said players had become increasingly frustrated by the lack of consistency from match officials.
The Bronco forward urged the ARLC to simplify rules surrounding the benefit-of-the-doubt call and controversial obstruction rules.
"They were definitely very up and down last year," Thaiday said of the referees.
"The video ref was a big issue for players.
"You'd play one week and every decision would go upstairs and there'd be lots written in the papers about it.
"The next week, they wouldn't go upstairs at all to take a look, even when it was worth it.
"We need to get rid of the grey areas with the benefit-of-the-doubt rule and clarify what is obstruction and stick to them all year."
Thaiday is still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, which is expected to rule him out of the All-Stars game in Brisbane, though he remains hopeful of being fit to play in the opening round of the 2013 season.
