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We don't need flawless reffing, we just need consistency

Roar Guru
19th April, 2014
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Johnathan Thurston's Cowboys could be headed towards another decider. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan).
Roar Guru
19th April, 2014
52
1174 Reads

Three games into Round 7 and we’ve already witnessed more refereeing blunders. If Tony Archer or Todd Greenberg come out and say that the referees are doing a good job, I’d question their eyesight.

Everyone knows that referees are always going to upset one side or the other with 50/50 calls. As fans, you accept that. What cannot be accepted though are the obvious inconsistencies throughout the opening rounds this season.

In the Bulldogs versus South Sydney match on Friday afternoon we saw a Bulldogs try disallowed due to an obstruction. The referee ruled that Josh Morris had run behind his teammate and gained an advantage.

Watching it live, I didn’t think it was obstruction. Yes, he ran behind his own player, but the South Sydney defenders weren’t necessarily impeded. It was poor numbering up on their part that led to the try.

Travelling up the M1 it was Manly versus North Queensland. This time, Kieran Foran runs through what seems to be a gaping hole in the defence and scores to bring his side level.

On the video replay it’s clear that Jamie Buhrer runs a decoy, makes contact with Ray Thompson and stands in the defensive line. Foran takes advantage of the space and Thompson can only grab Foran’s legs as he slides over.

It was obstruction quite clearly. By stopping in the line, Buhrer forced Thompson to run around him and therefore give Foran a relatively clear run to the line. If Buhrer isn’t there, Thompson can close the gap and make the tackle.

The try stood and Johnathan Thurston had every right to be irate at the decision. In the words of Phil Gould, “If you’re looking for consistency you’re watching the wrong game.”

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He’s perfectly correct there. In one game a try is disallowed when the defenders were never really impeded. In another, it’s fairly clear that the defender was denied a clear shot at the ball-runner, yet the try was still awarded.

The biggest gripe supporters have with referees is consistency in their rulings. Not just obstructions but in the ruck speed and in the ten metres.

Watching the Eels versus Roosters game, it was like one speed for the Roosters and one speed for the Eels. Whenever the Eels began rolling forward the referees allowed the Roosters defenders to lie in the play the ball and slow down the play as much as possible.

At one point Mitchell Pearce was virtually laying on Nathan Peats and making no attempt to get off. No penalty was forthcoming.

If the NRL doesn’t sort out it’s referees, teams are going to continue getting dud calls. It’s not a good look for the game.

And don’t even get me started on Adam Devcich’s insistence on virtually watching the entire game via the video referee.

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