SOME game-changing A-League decisions could take more than two minutes to review when video replays are introduced next month.

While Football Federation Australia’s director of referees Ben Wilson stressed accuracy will be prioritised over speed, he predicted most disruptions will not exceed 40 seconds.

Australia will become the first top-flight league in the world to run live video assistant referees (VARs) trials from round 26, and throughout this season’s finals series.

After six months of training, 39 lower-tier live trials and what will be 10 offline A-League trials, Wilson was confident most teething issues have been eradicated and up to nine qualified VARs are ready to go.

“We’ve come across a couple around the expectations of what a clear error is, also the challenge on the time it takes to make decisions, and the way those decisions are communicated to the broadcaster and the fans,” Wilson said.

Michael Theo of Brisbane Roar reacts after receiving a red card from referee Stephen Lucas. Source: Getty Images

“Those three things we’ve worked through and I’m happy we’ve got solutions to all of them.”

One of the primary concerns surrounding the VARs, which are still in an experimental phase under the law-making International Football Association Board, surrounds the review system’s potential to stall the flow of play.

FFA trials, along with simultaneous testing in the Bundesliga and MLS, suggest an average of between one and two key decisions - those leading to goals, penalties and red cards - will go up for review each match.

Based on an emphasis of minimum interference and a mandate to correct only clear-cut errors, a VAR might be able to review a call and advise the referee very quickly.

However, a substantial time blowout could occur when the referee requests to see the incident himself, at which time he has to run to his review area at the side of the pitch and view relayed camera angles.

During a live trial of a female exhibition match at Central Coast Stadium on Saturday, a review and validation of a penalty decision took nearly two and a half minutes, albeit only in a practice situation.

Wilson predicted most reviews would be made and implemented in 30-40 seconds. But he stressed accuracy - not time - was the priority.

“The main objective is to get the decision right, that’s the first priority,” Wilson said.

“If that takes a little bit longer then that’s okay.

“But secondary, once that decision is correct, to make that decision in a way that football is going to accept as not being too long.

“If a decision takes two minutes 10 seconds but we have a limit of two minutes and after two minutes we stop it and don’t get the correct decision, that’s not going to be a positive thing for football.”