Memo referees: don’t mess with Bill Harrigan
Columnist By David Lord, 31 May 2012 David Lord is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Bill Harrigan, NRL, Rugby League, State Of Origin
NRL referees co-coach Bill Harrigan speaks to the media about some of the controversial referee calls during last nights State of Origin during a press conference at Rugby League Central in Sydney, Thursday, May 24, 2012. The NSW Blues lost to Queensland in the first of three State of Origin matches. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Related coverage
On The Roar yesterday, I suggested the NRL’s referee supremo Bill Harrigan was in the perfect position to lift the standard within his ranks for the sake of the code.
No referee has ever reached the elite level Harrigan set in his heyday, with 392 first grade games, 10 grand finals, 21 Origins, and 24 Tests.
Daylight is second.
But within 24 hours, the whole referee scene has blown into open warfare – against Harrigan. So much so that Harrigan is fighting for survival.
NRL boss David Gallop has been handed a document signed by the current top referees claiming the development future of rugby league is in danger if Harrigan remains in the job.
Is this a case of the in-mates taking over the asylum?
The document lists a number of complaints, including the now infamous late in the game Greg Inglis try in Origin 1, which sealed the result in favour of Queensland, 18-10.
Harrigan supported the decision of video referee Sean Hampstead, the signatories didn’t. Nor did the vast majority of fans. The signatories are angry Harrigan told them not to comment on the try.
There have been many heated arguments since among scribes and fans. The try will be cemented in Origin folklore.
Refereeing has also been in the unwanted headlines with the poor handling of Origin 1 by Matt Cecchin and Ben Cummins, who were way out of their league. And lowlighted with referee Jason Robinson copping a gobful from Roosters captain Braith Anasta, and especially Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis dropping a few f-bombs on the way.
Both in the same game.
It begs the question: where is the limit before captains bring the game into disrepute?
Ennis clearly breached that line.
But because he didn’t aim the f-bombs directly at Robinson and only his decision, Ennis won’t be charged with any wrong-doing according to match review chairman Greg McCallum, himself a former top referee.
What?
Millions of television viewers saw that live, many more saw replays with bleeps in the aftermath. It was a bad image for rugby league.
Australia’s two top sporting administrators, the AFL’s Andrew Dimetriou and Gallop, are on different sides of the fence over Ennis.
Demetriou said: “In our case, he (Ennis) would have been disciplined severely. We’ve got a real problem in our game that we’ve got more umpires leaving than we are recruiting.
“So we’ve got to do everything we can to help promote umpires”.
Does that read that Demetriou is more concerned with protecting his umpires than the language Ennis used?
Surprisingly, the silence from Gallop has been deafening.
I have the greatest respect for him as he’s expertly juggled the code through many off-field atrocities during his decade in the big chair.
Now he’s faced with an internal coup looming over Harrigan which may well have an even bigger and deeper impact on the code than any atrocities.
Harrigan is a tall poppy, and far too many Australians love to go tall poppy chopping. It’s a “sport” and it’s endemic.
But be warned you refereeing pretenders who have called for Harrigan’s dismissal: he is a mighty tough hombre honed by a stint with the Tactical Response Unit during his time with the police force before he became the greatest referee in rugby league history.
Messing with Harrigan could prove to be career-defining.
- Explore:
- Bill Harrigan, NRL, Rugby League, State Of Origin
May 31st 2012 @ 6:41am
steve b said | May 31st 2012 @ 6:41am | Report comment
Morming David,,I have to agree who do these upstart refs think they are Harrigan was probably the best and fairest ref we had,, this current crop is bloody hopeless ,, but in saying that the Ingliss try,, the choosing of the refs for SOO,, and the Trent Barret ( no i didnt say that ) makes you wonder what is going on with Harrigan .Whatever they need to start getting things right because i havent seen or heard as many complaints about the refs,, in the media and from the fans since the Grashopper and Hartley days.. And they are justified in their critisicm because the referring of late has been shocking..And change the rule about captains being allowed to front the refs they cant change the decision no matter what they say,, so just stop that now and introduce coaches or captains call for at least 2 calls they deem suspect ..Because having a player stand their and argue the point is not a great look for the game and its easy fixed or at least turn of the mic.. If NRL are serious about this they need to show some balls and fix it,,because i think everbody is sick and tired of listening to Gallop say ( yes we are looking into the problem ) and then do nothing …
May 31st 2012 @ 7:07am
Doug said | May 31st 2012 @ 7:07am | Report comment
Hi David, I keep seeing people saying how bad the ref’ing from Cecchin and Cummins was in Origin 1. There were some decisions that the NSW fans didn’t like. Normally I dont pay much attention to referees so maybe I missed it. But I didnt see anything that was particularly different from any other game of League. Was it just those contentious issues that made them so terrible or was there something else? Should Cecchin have sin binned Gallen for disent to keep better “control” of the game?
May 31st 2012 @ 7:47am
B.A Sports said | May 31st 2012 @ 7:47am | Report comment
I don’t know that Cummins did much wrong in Origin 1, I think Checcin was awful. I think he blew all; but 1 penalty and many of those were dubious. That shouldn’t have been a suprise to anyone given Checcin’s track record in heated situations in games is poor and Origin is heated for 80 minutes, he was never going to handle that. And Harrigan should have known that.
That said, while officials need to be accountable, we have way too much focus on officials in this country in all sports, but especially league. That we even know who Jason Robinson is in league circles, means he has too much profile. And thats not his fault, its the fault of the media focus which isgiven to officials and to the “complain, complain, complain” and the “blame some one else for everything that goes wrong in our lives” culture that seems to be prevelant in this country.
May 31st 2012 @ 7:58am
Hoy said | May 31st 2012 @ 7:58am | Report comment
I would love to know the ins and outs of this, but it is reported that Fittler had a meeting with Gallop. Now what the hell has Fittler to do with anything? How is he involved in this at all? I have to imagine he has a vested interst in this somehow.
Is this all over the Inglis Try? It has been explained, and within the laws, it was a correct decision. Support it or not, it was within the laws. So is Harrigan another one of those blokes going to be turfed for upholding the laws?
May 31st 2012 @ 7:58am
Rabbitz said | May 31st 2012 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Well said David.
The last thing RL needs at the moment is more internal turmoil, especially from the the pea blowers.
May 31st 2012 @ 8:17am
Lowdown said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:17am | Report comment
Its ‘Ennis’ as in Michael Ennis.
May 31st 2012 @ 8:27am
Silvio said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:27am | Report comment
Oh dear Lord …. Let’s build a bridge and get over it! The Inglis try was a 50/50 call that went the Maroons way! NSW DIDN’T deserve to win I believe QLD played that little bit better and the score line reflected it. These character assassinations of Referees is killing the games image. I’ve played and watched the game for years and there has always been and will continue to be bad calls made regardless of who is in control of the game and what technology is used! Go the Blues’
–
Comment left via The Roar’s iPhone app. Download The Roar’s iPhone App in the App Store here.
May 31st 2012 @ 8:38am
steve b said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Mate its not just about SOO !!!
May 31st 2012 @ 8:29am
Danny said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
When do AFL players and umpires meet up like that on an AFL field with a mic within ear shot? Going to Demetriou for a holier than thou comment! What else was he going to say with that free opportunity landing in his lap other than we don’t do that in AFL and think about the umpires and all our little kiddies?
Rugby league is Australia’s bad boy sport. Leave it alone. We all know we love bad boys.
May 31st 2012 @ 8:43am
DingoBob said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Surely there is a precedent for not charging Michael Ennis adn hsi name is Johnathon Thurston. Not that I have a problem with any of the decisions made during the game but my only question is why would you debut 2 new refs in SOO, why wouldn’t you have an experienced ref in charge and a debutante as the second ref?
May 31st 2012 @ 8:59am
Brett McKay said | May 31st 2012 @ 8:59am | Report comment
From memory, the last league referee to address players by their number only was David Manson, circa the mid-late 90s. Mick Malthouse is on the record as saying there shouldn’t be any informality between AFL playes and umpires.
Are we heading back to the stage where refs and umps use only the player’s number to addres them? No more names, and certainly no nicknames?
May 31st 2012 @ 9:30am
eagleJack said | May 31st 2012 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Brett, this is a pet peeve of mine. Can’t stand them calling out their names particularly when there are a couple of “Mark’s” standing within earshot. I noticed in the Roosters v Manly game the ref kept referring to Darcy Lussick as “Jason” (he bears a slight resemblance to Jason King I guess) and Jake Friend as “Anthony” (perhaps a reference to Anthony Mitchell who has played number 9 a couple of times for the Roosters this year). Seems they can’t even get their names right. Players should be addressed by their numbers only.
May 31st 2012 @ 11:13am
Rabbitz said | May 31st 2012 @ 11:13am | Report comment
And the players should refer to the ref as ‘Sir’.
May 31st 2012 @ 1:58pm
Brendon said | May 31st 2012 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
Love it, they do this in union!!! Use the numbers! thats what they are there for. Plus its probably hard to pronounce some saffa and kiwi names anyway
May 31st 2012 @ 9:16am
Meesta Cool said | May 31st 2012 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Once again David has jumped on the bandwagon and added credence to “let’s all hate the refs” movement.
In reality the ref’s performances this year have been much better and much more creditable than most of the articles i have read, this particular one is pure ‘muck raking’ in the name of sensationalism. It is also counter productive to promoting our sport. LAY OFF the Refs and concentrate on better topics.. this one is boring (Just like all David’s recent articles) it is also well past it’s use by date.
Let’s MOVE ON, we have a great season ahead of us, mistakes by officials will always be talking points and upset people, BUT, we need referees, without them the game no longer exists.
And please David.. no more references to Standard of refereeing unless you have ‘The answer’. Ohhh by the way, I am sick of Inglis’ try comments… lets change the result and wipe it from the history books … we can do it with Premierships, why not game. results.
May 31st 2012 @ 9:43am
David Lord said | May 31st 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
MC, whether you like it or not, the most important person on the rugby league paddock is the referee. He can make or break a game with the greatest of ease. You can’t deny there’s a current problem with league refs that must be fixed, I will suggest some improvements tomorrow. Today’s column would have been far too long updating the scene, and the solution. This is not ref bashing, it’s ref realisation.
May 31st 2012 @ 10:38am
steve b said | May 31st 2012 @ 10:38am | Report comment
Bloody well said David !! MC call a spade a spade the referring of late has been shocking mate,, read any league forum you can find and what are they all wrong,, its not sensationalism its fact !! and mate the band wagon is getting longer so until they get of their arse and fix the problems expect more of the same boring arguments .And yes mate we need refs but we also need them to be consistent and get it right the majority of the time ..The players are the ones that should decide the outcome of the games not a refs bad calls. And if rules need to changed to suit then i wish they would hurry up .Because arguing with people who just think its ref bashing is boring…
May 31st 2012 @ 1:48pm
B.A Sports said | May 31st 2012 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
Thats just wrong.
The referee is important, but he is not the most important. The most important are the players. Players can make or break a game. If players play error free then the referee will have little influence in the game. If you play well and lead by two or more tries then one percieved “error” will not decide the game.
While MC appears a little hot under the collar, i do agree that writing articles about officials is just too easy. Jump on ESPN as an example and see what ratio of articles are about the officiating in US Sports, its next to none, They may reference controversial calls in a game, but only when it is a HUGE call does it warrent any comment.
Ref bashing is the single most boring thing in sport and whether Harrigan, Finch, Joe Bloggs or anyone is leading the officials, the NRL media and supporter base will continue to bash them and will never be happy.
May 31st 2012 @ 4:22pm
Meesta Cool said | May 31st 2012 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
looking forward to reading your ‘positive’ thoughts!.
May 31st 2012 @ 4:51pm
Meesta Cool said | May 31st 2012 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
Thanks BA. I am not hot uner the collar, I get just as frustrated at refs as the next bloke, what I do take exemption with, is people who are paid to write career damaging articles on the persona that nominates themselves to referee a game.
I also believe that the standard of reffing deteriorated when the decision was made to have two refs on the field… 2 men, 2 different interpretations,– fans,Coaches, Players are confused by two refs having differing opinions on what constitutes a free kick and when play on should be called… Two refs on the field did nothing for the game but create confusion! any one agree??