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I’m all for player protection and on a good day can even be persuaded that outlawing the shoulder-charge completely – rather than just policing it better – was a good idea. But the Jared Waerea-Hargreaves send-off was ridiculous.
It wasn’t the only bad call the referees made last weekend, but in a game of such magnitude, it stood out the most.
With the match delicately poised in the Roosters’ favour, Waerea-Hargreaves stood his ground as Manly forward George Rose ran full pelt towards him. Starting almost from a crouch, the Roosters enforcer thrust upwards and Rose seemed to stumble slightly as he approached.
The result was a massive blow, which laid the Sea Eagle flat and saw Waerea-Hargreaves become the first player sent for an early shower this season.
Ironically, JWH was levelled in a similar hit by Simon Dwyer in the finals in 2010, but that was the old days when shoulder charging was routine and we all still loved a bit of contact.
Dwyer was not sent off in that classic match. Nor was he sin-binned, or even penalised.
In fact Waerea-Harvgreaves said ”I thought it was a clean, legit tackle. Hats off to him – he got me a beauty.”
Although that might have had something to do with the Roosters winning the game.
I wouldn’t have a problem with JWH’s sending off on Monday – or other calls made that weekend – if there was a bit of consistency in the rulings.
Why weren’t Richie Fa’oso and Jason King more harshly reprimanded when Manly hosted the Rabbitohs in Round 7 and they each dropped Greg Inglis on his head?
Shouldn’t Fa’oso at least have been sent to the bin the second time he did it?
Sure, a few weeks’ worth of suspensions were handed out, but what good is that to the Bunnies in the context of that match?
There is another example from that fiery Round 7 clash.
Ever aggressive – and injured – centre Steve Matai collects George Burgess around the face with a stray forearm but stays on the pitch even though there was clear contact with the head.
George’s brother Sam then throws a few punches and an all-in brawl ensues.
Still no one gets marched.
But when Mitch Allgood planted a high/late one on Peter Wallace and Josh McGuire started a melee at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night, both Allgood and McGuire get sent to the bin.
It makes no sense.
So I guess my gripe isn’t with the JWH decision itself, it’s with the lack of consistency across the board from the referees.
Don’t even get me started on Will Zillman’s disallowed try for the Titans against the Dragons on Sunday…
Is it possible that referees can have form slumps?
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