Toovey attacks referees after Manly loss
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Manly coach Geoff Toovey has launched a surprising attack on the two NRL referees who oversaw the Sea Eagles’ 20-12 loss to Canterbury on Friday night.
A visibly angry Toovey said his men were let down by several decisions by Brett Cummins and Brett Suttor in the much-anticipated grudge match marking the return of Bulldogs coach Des Hasler to Brookvale Oval.
“(The Bulldogs) had a bit of luck, but I think the two blokes in the middle didn’t help,” he said in the post-match press conference.
“I have to query the league and say where’s the best two referees in the game for this game tonight? Because the blokes in the middle were definitely not the best two for this job.
“They had terrible games. Terrible decisions.
“I can’t wait until they try and explain some of them.”
Toovey questioned the decision to allow the Bulldogs’ second try, accusing winger Sam Perrett of being a metre offside from Josh Reynolds kick.
He also labelled the penalties “a lucky dip” and said the Bulldogs got the “fair rub of the green” when it came to certain decisions.
“Maybe, like other coaches in the competition, I need to go have a meeting with them, like certain other coaches do,” Toovey said.
“I’ve had discussions at the beginning of the year and, mate, they just say ‘no, you’re wrong and we’re right’. That’s it, that’s as far as it goes.
“It’s pointless.”
Co-captain Jamie Lyon agreed with his coach’s call for a return to one central referee, saying his appeals to the on-field officials fell on deaf ears.
“They don’t listen,” he said.
“I definitely tried to talk to them a couple of times.
“(They said) they’ll look at it and tell you to go away, like they usually do.
“Once they get their mind made up, that’s it. They don’t want to go into too much.”
© AAP 2013
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The Crowd Says (15) | Page 1 of Comments
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- Canterbury Bulldogs, Geoff Toovey, Manly Sea Eagles, NRL, Rugby League
July 21st 2012 @ 7:09am
eagleJack said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:09am | Report comment
Pretty stock standard response from a losing coach these days. Sorry Tooves we lost because our attack in the opposition 20 was pretty mundane. Can we please start using T-Rex more effectively?? Giving him a flat pass when the defence is already on him is useless. The one time we gave him the ball 5m behind the line, and he took it with speed, he made a 20m break.
Yes Tooves the Dogs got a lot of luck but they put themselves in a position to be on the end of this luck. A thoroughly deserved victory by them. Time for our boys to find some rhythm or we won’t be there in September. Last night we showed in patches why we should be there. But shoulda woulda coulda is all we will be talking about if we don’t start scoring more points and winning games.
July 21st 2012 @ 4:36pm
Bearfax said | July 21st 2012 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
Toovs learnt his complaining skills from the master, Des Hasler. Works on the principle that if you keep complaining, then refs may just start to second guess themselves. Standard tactic by the best coaches.
July 21st 2012 @ 7:23am
steve b said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:23am | Report comment
The speed of the game was intense ,,yes i thought a few decisions were dodjey ,but the right team got the decision ,great game….
July 21st 2012 @ 7:25am
Nafe said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:25am | Report comment
I didn’t think the referees had a too bad a game. Sure the dogs no try should have been a penalty but I think the doggies kickers were taken late on a number of occasions so the decisions went both ways. What happened to coaches being fined for bagging the reffs?
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July 21st 2012 @ 7:41am
Gremlin said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:41am | Report comment
The Dogs deserved to win, no argument. But, the ref’s were bad. The 10m was all over the place, the time allowed in the ruck even more inconsistant, can you belive watmouh was penalised for this.
Being a life long Parra fan I dont care wich team won or lost, I just hope the standard of ref:s improves before the finals come around
July 21st 2012 @ 9:20am
Old Hand said | July 21st 2012 @ 9:20am | Report comment
I wonder did Toovey see the cheap shots of Stewart (unchecked by referees on all but one occasion). Great result for the little guy who was hit with more cheap shots than a drunk in a Kings Cross bar. However, he won the battle where it counted, on the scoreboard! The King head butt hasn’t received any publicity I notice.
July 21st 2012 @ 1:13pm
Mals said | July 21st 2012 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
It was a clash of heads, not a head butt. Open your eyes.
Talking cheap shots, look no further than Ennis, he’s the biggest grub in rugby league.
July 21st 2012 @ 2:21pm
Old Hand said | July 21st 2012 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
I though leading with your head was a head but. Perhaps I am wrong.
Agree Ennis is pretty ordinary but Manly have the edge well and truly in the grub department.
July 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am
The Barry said | July 22nd 2012 @ 8:02am | Report comment
Mate – have a close look at how Ballin plays. Every tackle he’s got his elbow in someone’s face or his twisting a leg. He’ll have Ennis’ grub title in no time now that Ennis has cleaned up his act.
Manly are the worst whingers on and off the field and if the NRL are fair dinkum about leg twists then they should have a good hard look at Manly.
July 22nd 2012 @ 2:14pm
Bearfax said | July 22nd 2012 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
Look you guys. You’re spoiling the value of a great match. Stop your whinging. You’re beginning to sound like the average NRL coach..and about as biased to boot. Canterbury won the game, primarily because of their X factor Barba. Most teams aspiring for the premiership need such a player. Good luck to them. But this one eyed carry on about who’s the worst team for dirty play and who did what to such and such a player is just one eyed rubbish. If you looked more honestly at games you would see your own team is just as malicious….but for one eyed supporters their players are always in the right.
July 21st 2012 @ 10:45am
Razza said | July 21st 2012 @ 10:45am | Report comment
Come on fellas, right or wrong the Dogs won and deserved their win, if we accuse the Ref of poor performances when the Eagles lose then what are we accusing them of when the Eagles win.???.
Unless every query by the captains to the Ref is put to the video Ref to judge then we have to take the onfield Refs decision ,as being right whether it is right or wrong, i saw Ballin strip a couple of balls and get away with it and if the Ref was looking into a monitor as he saw the game like you see on tv, then things would be different.
Cop it on the chin fellas
July 21st 2012 @ 2:24pm
Old Hand said | July 21st 2012 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Young Barba reminded me of early days with Lockyer – absorb all the cheap shots, smacks to the head, knees in the ribs and back, elbows, etc., then beat all the thugs where it counts most, ON THE SCOREBOARD!!!
July 21st 2012 @ 4:34pm
Mick H said | July 21st 2012 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Sour grapes from the sore losing silvertails and they wonder why they are so hated among RL clubs and fans.
July 22nd 2012 @ 5:44pm
Gleeso said | July 22nd 2012 @ 5:44pm | Report comment
Toovey looked rabid in the press conference. He would be frightening to know in person. The refs were fine though. Toovey is just struggling.
July 22nd 2012 @ 8:28pm
Bearfax said | July 22nd 2012 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Memories of Hasler. He learnt from the master