EXCLUSIVE: How Steve Clark used electric shock on NRL refs

Exclusive details of former referees coach Steve Clark’s ‘shocking’ training methods have been revealed.

As Channel 7’s Josh Massoud revealed on Friday night, Clark held a weekly quiz for his whistleblowers across the 2010 and 2011 seasons, with the punishment for a wrong answer being an electric shock.

“He used a contraption that used to give you an electric shock if you got the questions wrong,” former referee Steve Lyons told 7News.

“I used to get anxiety, used to sweat up – I didn’t want to do it.”

Former ref Tony De Las Heras also recalled the controversial training techniques.

“It was daunting at times because you knew what was going to happen,” he said.

“I remember how scared some people were.”

Lyons says Clark took pleasure in zapping his charges.

“Even if you got all the questions right, he’d probably give you a zap,” he said.

“He used to laugh his head off, he thought it was great.”

Clark is still employed by the NRL, which stated the mild shocks were designed to replicate a pressure scenario.

“It is important to note that no complaints or concerns were expressed at the time,” the NRL said in a statement.

Watch the full report in the video above.