Much cyber ink has been spent on supporting or opposing the introduction of harsher rules and so forth following State of Origin I’s infamous punch-up.
Are the rules too soft, too hard, too reactive? Is rugby league losing its culture? Why do we have to pander to the sissies or the dinosaurs?
Riveting discussion, no doubt, but a more important point is the issue of refereeing authority. I get the feeling the referees are losing the aura of authority their role requires.
Rugby league is not a game for marshmallows, we can all agree on that, and we can all agree it takes some doing to control 34 explosively primed slabs of athletic explosion, especially when the stakes (pun intended) are high.
To an extent, I agree with the sentiment the referee ought to be invisible and a good game occurs when you never notice him. Silent he may have to be but he also needs the gumption to carry a big stick – and the courage to use it when necessary.
The referee needs to be someone with a kind of charismatic authority, a benevolent dictator of a father who is willing to send any of his 34 kids to time-out when they misbehave.
Just as importantly, he needs to be prepared to be wrong.
The introduction of the video referee plus a second on-field one really only serves to dilute the referee’s perceived authority. It seems now almost anyone can question the referee’s decision.
This is a no-no. Only the captain should have the right to speak to the referee. Anyone else who does ought to be penalised. Not because it is fair to the player but because it is not fair to the referee.
A good referee needs dictatorial powers. He needs to have the balls to use them too. The game is not being sanitised because of the outlawing of punching or shoulder charges, it is being sanitised by the removal of the almost patriarchal authority of its most important dictator.
Remember, you don’t need to like a referee, you only need to respect him.
Gavin Cooper
Guest
Respect all around is most important here. Now if someone would teach them the rules. Like what a knock on is. Playing for a penalty. And moving off the mark.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I agree.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
What do you mean?
factual
Guest
Well why extrapolate with an addition to your rather good introduction?
Ray
Guest
I'm very glad to see that this year refs are required to make a ruling on potential tries before going to the video ref, and that video refs have to be certain to overrule. It's more power back to the on field ref, where it should be.
bully
Guest
Wow nice rant
liatrevlis
Guest
I'm praying the refs blunder a NSW victory !!!! Lets see if there really is a GOD
steve b
Roar Guru
oikee you need a bigger dump truck !
oikee
Guest
It is not thriving, and you are living in denial with head in the sand if you think it is going great guns when every man dog child parent and even diehards of the game has put the game under the microscope asking the tough questions, as i have been doing. Denial, just like Gallen and his punching in the head is a compliment b.s, your utterly living a lie. Now be honest. Stop this attacking me, i am not one of Gallens punching bags, i dont buy the rubbish him or Blocker Roach are trying to sell, nor do the junior coaches who have to pick up the pieces, enough of this nonsense, get your head outta the sand. Go read the stories from Gus Gould and Paul Kent, even they know you can only guide the lilly so far before the walls start to crumble, well they are crumbling and change is needed, go bury your head all you like, thug acts, dog acts and cheap shots will not be tollerated any longer, same as dinosaurs burying their heads in the sand while rome burns, i have a had a gutful of this nonsense cheap shot crap you try to come back at me. I am not buying your's or gallens or Daley's crap. It was not a great origin moment, it was a cowards act.
solly
Guest
lol
The Greatest Game Of All
Guest
Based on what you and I have written, where is it that we are disagreeing?
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
What "ideas and innovations" do you throw up oikee? All you crap on about is how the "Sydney administration" is ruining the game, Paul Gallen is ruining the game, the biff is ruining the game, no one wants their kids playing league and rugby league is dying a slow painful death. Mate, rugby league is thriving. It has never been bigger. Which part of increased crowds, increased memberships, increased tv viewership, increased sponsorship and tv dollars and greater depth of talent in the game do you not understand? Stop being so negative and wake up. Rugby league is not dying. It is thriving and will continue to thrive.
solly
Guest
Based on what you and I have written, where is it that we are disagreeing?
The Greatest Game Of All
Guest
Putting players on report is a cop out, it all gets reviewed after the game anyways.
Raugeee
Guest
Klein's reaction to Gallen's backchat was pathetic. If Klein refs Game 3 I'm not watching.
maximillian
Guest
Arent the refs doing that tho? If we look at the Myles/Gallen fiasco the ref made a decision to penalise Gallen & put him on report, for which he got a 1 match suspension. I think he shouldve been binned in this instance but rightly or wrongly the ref made his decision.
oikee
Guest
Hey look, Bully found a friend. I can imagine you Bully , the first to cry help when things go wrong and nobody comes to your aid because you have been a bully all your life and they have themselves turned to bullies and dont give a bullocks about you or oyurs, That is your world bully, good, go live it, your not taking me or mine with you. I will continue to fight bullies like you. In years gone by Gallen might have desided to just blind0side him, yeah right, listen to yourself. Gallen got hit by a Papa blind-shot shoulder chanrge and cried like a baby.
Exocet
Guest
RL's asset is that it is a TV game with all action happening on the screen. its also its problem with guaranteed possession, the 10 metre rule and the impact of 50-50 decisions/penalties is the need to attract the theatre goer the games have to be close to win the unattached TV audiences. Roy masters has twigged to this... http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dramatic-licence-whistleblowers-in-danger-of-playing-to-script-to-ensure-theatrical-finale-20120806-23qe1.html So I argue the referees power has never been greater. Can anyone explain why the referee only sometimes goes to the video ref to check onside when there is a kick thru for a try. The followers from the kick are always close to the margin such that no touch judge could ever be perfectly positioned to make the call...
The Greatest Game Of All
Guest
"We are actually in agreement, you know." I disagree. I'm over metaphors after this week, I called Davo's/Anderson's new rule a knee jerk overreaction, directly influenced by the medias want to stir up public debate to sell lots n lots of newspapers, because of this I'm a dinosaur Neanderthal thug that condones cheap shots king hits wife bashing and drink driving. Aside from the fact that calling someone a dinosaur is a really lame put down, no, I honestly do just think that inventing another rule was an over reaction, stop reading to much into it, people I mean, not you Azizi. Football in the 90's, before the war, was great to watch, easy to follow, back then we had contested scrums, why change it? Voluntary tackles were a penalty, not a surrender tackle, why change it? No obstructions, just a simple shepherd, why change it? No one on one strips, no dominant tackles, a tackle around the bootlaces, now that was a skill rewarded at the discretion of the ref, why change it? Unlimited interchange, there never used to be interchange, it was a test of stamina and heart for the full 80. It's all been changed in the pursuit of speeding the game up ie improve the game, why? the game was fast/good enough, dummy half runs are the go now. With each new rule or "interpretation" there is a knock on effect, fundamentally changing the game, when will they learn. The NRL does not own Rugby League. Referees have always had the authority, respect is something else, you want it? then stop blowing the whistle so much! Also get rid of the refs microphones, that would help them relax big time. Disclaimer: I do not condone king hits or cheap shots or want to relive the 60s 70s 80s, I also do not wish to watch UFC as hitting a bloke when he is on the ground is a dog act IMO.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Do gooders are thieves cause they steal things from the do badders who then get mad and punch the do gooders in the head. It really is a vicious cycle. :)