Des Hasler's outburst a symptom of a sick system

I would look at next years draw for an improved draw for Penrith/Eels as the NRL needs them to be strong in the western suburbs eg playing Broncos/ Storm during SOO etc. My point about the 3PM game being an important lead in to Sunday night programming is best exemplified by this below - the comeback of the century. Look at the 10 metre forward pass at 8.40 - the touchie got dropped but the refereees escaped punishment. The commentator Belcher went off his head but most of his comments didnt make this video - Parramata come back to beat Manly in March 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3HuL9W3A3o

So Nafe, you're happy to see situations like Glenn Hall going down like he was shot when Watmough got within a metre of him ? To me that's diving, staging, simulation, whatever you want to call it and a far worse look for the game than a couple of 50/50 obstruction calls. There's no such thing as black and white. One rule change has a ripple effect through the game.

Seriously how often has Des called out the referees though? Clearly he doesn't care about the fine

“the player is in front of the player with the ball so therefore in an offside position and shouldn’t be there.” Well for starters there are two a little known rules in rugby league that might just make it difficult for you to stick to that view point 1. you have to pass the ball backwards. 2. you have to play the ball backwards. So players actually should be in front of players all pretty freaking regularly. Them being in front does not give the defence the right to do as they please. See how the black and white stuff is pretty tough, especially when ill considered an poorly communicated. Even moving away from the obvious in front. Your interpretation essentially makes it illegal not to pass to a player that is on the burst.

Actually you do. Watch a game sometime then come back. I'll give you $50 if at least once during that game a player fielding a deep kick doesn't run a line that takes him behind his team mates that were up in the defensive line

Bingo, yes you have hit the nail squarly on the head my friend. And weather you like to admit it or not, is a Sydney conspiracy because the refs in conjunction with Sydney clubs who want to raise some extra capital are making sure the results are correct, if you know what i mean. Next year will see the rise of Parra and Penrith, keep a eye on the early penalty count next year. The best way to deal with this is to not forget. Once you forget, they seem to do as they please. I will keep a eye on the games next year, and the refs. I am still waiting for the refs to penalise Farrah for holding down every tackle, and the desease is catching, a few tigers are doing the same. Watch Farrah, watch him closely, tape the games replay them, they wont blow the whistle. Plus the whole team turtle players, once you start looking for this, you see a huge problem, and the refs let some teams get away with these turtleing tactics more than other teams. The player with the ball hits the ground and they roll him straight over, or try tooo, Farrah then holds the player with his hand on pressure points. Sorry to mention this, now you will be seeing alot more issues.

I find the refs dialogue very disturbing in the Dogs V Knights game. Why would the officials get together and begin discussing possession and momentum and their perception of the nature and or direction that the game is heading. Their job is to police the contest fairly, not to speculate amongst themselves during the course of the match. Despite Des Hasler misquoting them the suggestion he is making is extremely serious. I for one have seen enough this year to be convinced that there is an agenda within the refereeing ranks to favor certain teams and people are slowly catching on. I don't agree with the above post that it is part of a Sydney based domination conspiracy because I have watched the Roosters and Sharks cop some of the worst decisions I have ever witnessed this season whilst watching the Broncos receive what I consider to be preferential treatment throughout the year. I think what's happening is the clubs with the biggest support bases are being herded towards the finals in an attempt to squeeze every bit of revenue possible whilst the game is heading in a new direction and trying to secure a new TV deal. Either way it's becoming obvious and you always see the refs evening out the count in the final ten mins of a game when one team has been heavily penalised but as stated above " It is no good trying to level up the penalty count when you have totally destroyed the energy of a team"

Masters pretty much says the same thing here but carefully worded... http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/billys-lowpenalty-diet-has-players-tightening-their-belts-20110322-1c58h.html Remember every penalty in SOO 1 went to the team behind on the scoreboard (bar 1for deliberate foul play)

Your point 1 is absolutely spot on. I made mention of this in the Bulldogs Cowboys game. The cows were taken out of the contest in the first half. The penalties were from slow play the ball. . (this is dubious, i was watching and they seemed no slower than normal tackles). So this is what happened. Penatly to the dogs, cows retreated for extra 6 and the dogs then scored, so cows had to kick off, another 6, then another penalty, dogs again scored, cows kicked off and again, another penalty for again, so-called slow play the ball. Another 6 and another try. This happened all the first half, the cows were completely wreacked, could not even stand up, came out second half detroyed, i had already swithced off because i could see what was going on. I even madea couple of comments on this blog i got bored watching the refs slaughter the cows. :) Poor cows, this has to stop. Away teams are disadvantaged before they even turn up, then the refs play to the crowds, or play to themsleves. ? how do we know they dont have a bet on certain teams, who is monitoring them. ? The game is being stragled by a Sydney centric domination where you need to cheat the cap to compepte. I know this sounds extreme, but i think it is the only way some clubs outside Sydney can compete. The Warriors will need to do something, with all the best players and them still losing, something has to give. Same as the Broncos, we should be the hardest team to beat, at the moment we are nothing but cannon foder. People will turn off if even the refs are making it hard for your team, their is more than one code to follow nowadays. It is no good trying to level up the penalty count when you have totally destroyed the energy of a team.

YOur point 1 is quite a good point. I think we should return to the 5 metre rule where both the defending and attacking teams need to retire 5 meters from the play the ball. That still gives you the 10meter gap between the teams and would limit the line / forward passes from dummy half that consistantly occur and are never pulled up.

That has to be a more frustrating rule than the Obstruction to mine. I think there also needs to be control somewhere in the try scoring rule also. The amount of time the ball is being lost but because there is no seperation its a try even though its obvious the player has lost control.

It seems pretty black and white for me. There should be ZERO onus on the defence to get out of the way of a decoy runner. They run past the player with the bal land therefore put themselves in an off side position, it is their responsibilty to get out of the way. Any contact is too much and could and does effect the momentum of the defender, If the defender delibretly runs into the decoy runner, too bad, the player is in front of the player with the ball so therefore in an offside position and shouldn't be there. The decoy runner should get out of the way as soon as it is clear he can no longer get the ball.

I think there's two things at play here: 1) I think there is too much advantage for a penalty and they have the potential to completely change the momentum of the game. Back in the day you'd get a penalty, gain 20 metres by kicking to touch and then grind out 20 metres from your set of 6 and then kick. Teams now make 40+ metres every set so if you get a penalty anywhere on the field other than in your own 20 metres, you're going to end the set with an attacking kick. I don't think there's a need for the kick to touch any more. I think teams get enough advantage by getting another set of 6 or a shot at 2 points. The one exception would be within your 20 or one the first tackle: then you get a kick for touch. 2) Are refs trying to create a sense of theatre or drama, influence momentum within games and avoid blowout scorelines ? I'm starting to wonder.

Hasler did question the integrity of the refs. The conversation didn't happen as he reported it and he does deserve the $10,000 fine. Doesn't mean that he doesn't have a point though. The refs should not be discussing how the game is going to go or that momentun is going to change or whatever they should be adjudicating the action in front of him. I note the talk of match fixing that's come up lately - if I were an honest ref I would not want to be involved in this sort of discussion at all. Robinson knew the conversation was on thin ice. He was giving one or two word answers and not wanting to get involved. Suttor is THE worst ref I've ever seen. His decisions defy belief at times, he has little understanding for the game, he speaks to players like garbage week in, week out, he has grown the scrappiest beard I've ever seen. My missus (doesn't watch much footy) overheard him talking to one of the players a couple of weeks ago and said "Who's that little twerp? Has he ever been hit by one of the players for talking to them like that?"