Farah slams new NRL obstruction rules

One way to fix all of this crap. BAN THE DECOY RUNNING, SIMPLE ?????. "GO THE EAGLES"

Wow! How can someone get it so wrong??? The Hodges incident would not have been a problem for people had the NRL been adjudicating that kind of decision like that all year. But they decided to change their interpretation at the most pivotal moment of the most watched game all year. I don't have a problem with a shepard if a player does not use it to his advantage. That should always be the question, did the ball carrier obtain an advantage? And just on obstruction, often the decoy is not running 10 yards past the play, most of the time the attacking line and defending line are pretty close together and they try to stop but they can't turn invisible. You talk about boring plays, how about a game where decoys are outlawed? That's where we are heading.

Eaglejack, that was a joke of a decision, even Lyon will tell you that. Was a great try and was the only one the Tigers looked likely to score all night the poor buggers.

In defence of what the refs are trying to get right, and with the only commentator I'm hearing in support being Fittler, this is what I say. When a player runs a decoy, and so has taken a step or two or maybe three past the ball-carrier, and then surely realises they aren't getting the ball, what right do they have to keep running towards the defensive line? At it stands, its only illegal if a decoy runner deliberately runs into a defender, but I say, what right does a decoy runner have to run 8, 10, 12 yards past the ball carrier, and then stop directly in front of a defender? Simply placing themselves in the defensive line where they could have stopped yards short of the defender is just as much an obstruction. These boring, boring plays made famous a few years ago by a boring, boring team (and sadly ended up winning the comp) are desiged to block defenders and are ruining the game. Sad, I say only because it has now created look-a-like teams with not much other evasive skill in their kit. Bottom line is it's illegal to obtruct a defender. Its not about whether a try would have been scored barring this illegality. Think about this, the common shepherd, the most obvious obstruction, what do you think fans would say if after a clear shepherd, a try was scored and the ruling was that "oh well they probably would have scored anyway". The shepherd like any other obstruction must be blown as it happens. Case in point was the Hodges Origin try last year which was a shepherd. It was the first offence and should have gone no further - but video refs chose to judge whether after a shepherd, a try would have been scored anyway. Decoy runner, shepherd play, both the same, you obstruct a defender - the offence has occurred. Automatic penalty. I guess the problem for lots of people is they have gotten used to the old rule about "see what happens", including many a player and commentator now putting in their two-bobs worth in. If they only stopped and realised its the decoy plays that are ruining the game, sending the skill level of the game into free-fall, some teams literally with no other attacking skill apart from putting a kick up on the last.

There will be no decoy runners, 2nd man plays eventually, if the obstruction rule is not sorted. How boring will the game be then. May as well go back to the unlimited tackle rule.

what about the one in the first half when lawerance went through a gap and a bad read from a manly defender resulted in a manly penalty people at the ground last night were dismayed and dumbfounded over the obstruction rule. people are turning off the game.on another note i have stated for years the two ref system has to go.

Hehehe, spot-on Meesta Cool, and as well as throwing his hands in the air, what about him and Jamie Lyon complaining to the refs. These 2 must have come out of the same mold. Farrah and Lyon are always looking at refs, holding their hands up or talking to touch judges. They should both be fined 10 thousand for time wasting and ear bashing.

eagleJack, you have zero credibility. Your bias has blinded you mate. Lyon milked that like a dairy farmer, but the worst call of the night was in the left corner in the first half when Chris Lawrence was penalised -- even though he went out of his way to run into a hole, not at the defender but the brilliant Chechin penalises him. Not only do we have the farce of the video ref having no discretion but we also have the on-field ref having no common sense. Daniel Anderson has done well on most things, but his call on the obstruction rule is killing the game. He must swallow his pride and change course not -- before it is too late. It can only help him, because he is at risk of being sacked.

WHY is Robbie (Of all people) whingeing about the tactic of feigning contact?. he has been doing it for years, I think his hands are thrown skywards more than any other player in the league!!,,, OOOOps, I forgot The Bulldogs #9....

Anderson doing well so far bar the obstruction garbage. So painful to watch tries disallowed when a defender f**** up!!

Eaglejack, everyone could see that Mnaly have already started to do exactly what i said a couple of days ago. They will just run into the decoy runner. Typical it was Manly and the captain who applied the tactics. Anderson must go, be gone you dinosaur, begone. Any rule that helps Manly must begone. :) Hey Eaglejack, how is Matai today, he was hurt, then he was ok, then he was hurt, then he got better all in 5 minutes last night. I see Manly doing nice gymwork, all have muscles Arnie Schwarzenegger would be proud of, they still on the moojuice i see.

Sorry sam but Lyon shifted to the right and Lawrence had ample opportunity to step back towards the posts, passing on Lyons inside shoulder. I think if Moltzen was awarded the try, irrespective of referees boss, there would be more of an issue. That one was pretty cut and dry. The Buhrer one afterwards not so as he stepped back towards the posts to avoid Miller, only to run into Anasta who never had any chance of stopping DCE. The play had well and truly passed at that stage. I understand people's frustrations. It's just for me the Moltzen no try was the correct ruling. And this is after viewing both incidents a dozen times so nothing to do with a Manly bias. If anything I would have preferred the Tigers to score at that point make the game interesting.

lawrence didn't run at lyon, lyon came and tackled lawrence and then put his hands up for obstruction. he didn't even properly deny it in the media conference after the match. this means other defenders are going to manipulate the rules and use it as a cup out

Tallis had it spot on a couple of weeks back saying defenders will stage obstructions and now it is happening. This rule interpretation threatens the whole structure of the game and needs a quick review.

No idea what Farah is on about. Of all the controversial obstruction calls we have seen this year that was not one of them. Moltzen received the ball from Marshall on the inside shoulder of Lawrence, runs around the back of him and then through the hole created by Lawrence running into Lyon. It wasn't as if the the try was scored 20m from the incident like the Cronk no try. Obstruction every day of the week. Every day of every year. Under every referees boss in history.

Now now Robbie, take your medicine and let Daniel deside how to fix this game and change it forever with these new lay down dive or trip over your oppenent rules. All we need is a round ball and the transition will be complete. Nice work Daniel, here comes the backlash. This is not the last we will hear of this ruling. Super league wont have a bar of it, international league will tell Andwerson to stick the ruling up his jumper. Someone get Anderson out of the Refs room before he destroys the whole fabric of the game. We have origin coming up in a few weeks, for the love of Larry, sack him Grant. Sack him now.

Bit rich farah crying about obstruction.The rule has become a joke but the tigers disallowed try was an obstruction unlike the manly disallowed one.Farah should look at his own side first after the mountain of possession they had in the first half on manlys try line -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].