The dirty whisper for years has been that referee’s favour the home side. But after sixteen rounds of the National Rugby League season, nothing could be further from the truth.
Manly-Warringah fans will argue that the performance of officials Matt Cecchin and Gavin Morris got the Sydney Roosters over the line in a brutal contest on Monday night at Allianz Stadium.
With twenty minutes to play and the match hanging in the balance Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves charged at the Manly line.
Eagles backrower Justin Horo scrambled across and dragged the Rooster down with an arm tackle which may or may not have made contact with Waerea-Hargreaves’ chin.
It was touch and go but referee Cecchin decided the tackle was legal.
Cecchin called for a scrum and that was that. Until Waerea-Hargreaves and company began complaining about the tackle. You could almost call it intimidation.
Cecchin backed away and instead of sticking to his guns he asked for help from the video referees.
The video referees took a number of looks at it and decided the tackle warranted a penalty.
Whether the tackle was legal or not is inconsequential. The problem was Cecchin didn’t ignore the Roosters players and continue with the scrum.
Minutes later the Roosters were awarded possession after the referees deemed Manly custodian Brett Stewart had lost the ball despite being challenged in the air by opposite fullback Anthony Minichiello.
The Roosters deserved the win either way but that doesn’t mean we can’t question the referees and their rulings.
Did home ground advantage help the Roosters here? Maybe.
But you might be surprised by the penalty counts so far in season 2013.
After sixteen rounds and 118 NRL matches, the home side has only won the penalty count on 38 occasions. Surprisingly enough the away team has won penalty counts in 80 of those 118 games.
What does that say about the mindset of the referees?
Isn’t 80 from a possible 118 a little high for supposably the closest sporting competition on this planet?
Have the home sides in 2013 been that ill-disciplined?
Not once this year has the home sides in any given round won more than four penalty counts. Even then that has only happened on four occasions and of those four, two were split rounds.
In fact home sides lost penalty counts 1-7 in rounds one, three, five, six and ten.
They’ve lost penalty counts 2-6 in rounds four, seven, nine and fourteen.
For years travelling fans have had to cop lopsided penalty counts and dubious decisions. But it seems in 2013 the referees department has made a conscious effort to buck that trend.
Alarming to say the least.
Referees are there to police the rules and make decisions based on what happens in front of them. Not “control” or dictate the flow of a match or even worst, a season.
Home team penalty counts (out of eight games unless otherwise stated)
Round 1: 1
Round 2: 3
Round 3: 1
Round 4: 2
Round 5: 1
Round 6: 1
Round 7: 2
Round 8: 4
Round 9: 2
Round 10: 1
Round 11: 4
Round 12: (4 games) 3
Round 13: (7 games) 3
Round 14: 2
Round 15: (4 games) 4
Round 16: (7 games) 4
Overall
118 games
38 home counts
80 away counts
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
yeah all conspiracy,nothing to do with the Warriors form,nothing to do with the fact the Bronocs last played the Warriors after the SOo2,not during. The Broncos couldn't get a point on the board against the Storm,with all troops on boad.Yep nothing to do with the fact,they are playing ordinary,and desperate to get Barba. Even the bleeding Eels beat the Broncos back in rd 9.Oh its all planned I tell you.its the refs,its the admin.That is bizarre
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The Warriors have knocked over the sea eagles,roosters latter away both unaffected by SOO and the last Broncos game was after the SOO 2 hardly at their weakest..Thrashed the Knights no SOO influence. Give the Warriors some credit,to suggest that someone is looking after them guff is a bit ironic.. Look at the result last night against the storm,as if the Broncos are setting the world on fire. Conspiracy theories are like the aliens at Roswell.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Gee Roy and Warren have short memories,so your first line is rather undermined.Love all the references. 1990 dead rubber after 2 matches 1993 ditto 1995 3 zero 1996 3 zero 1997 dead rubber 2000 3 zero 2003 dead rubber 2007 dead rubber 2009 dead rubber 2010 3 zero. The refs contrive yep.The Tv stations were on the phone to the admin,do something. if that's keeping the series alive,rthen I am an astronaut. Whilst crowds at grounds can be intimidatiory experienced refs usually handle it,some not so. Refs have a fair idea of the regular miscreants in overstepping the mark,That is part of human nature.Because there ai a better than even money chance they will do the deed. The baying of the Shark's crowd at Remindos stadium last night,had no effect on the flow of penalties to the Tigers.The penalties were in fact warranted. Toovey complains about decisions aginst Manly at Manly.refs can't win. You can quote Roy ,but then must also accept him as being correct in his views on AFL.Can't just cherry pick to suit.Warren Ryan an astute coach as was Roy,but coaches rarely admit their players deserved, a penalty against them. Grumpy old men.
Geronimo
Guest
So the Warriors haven't played the broncos twice in 4 weeks during SOO with the broncos missing their best players. The TV must be showing replays yet the score is different but till a Warriors win . What sort of comp draw is it that you can play some teams only once but somehow play the same team twice in the matter of weeks...Bizarre but the fact that no-one talks about it is even more bizarre
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
So "risk management" is the new euphemism for match fixing, which is basically what you were baldly saying in your first post. I think as you work on your career as a conspiracy theorist, this will be a great learning experience for you. You can cast a much wider net with euphemisms. Leaves so much more to the imagination. And, point of order, saying "slightly influence the chances of the result falling their way" is a few magnitudes short of "This is why you will NEVER see a Cowboys vs Warriors GF NEVER EVER…".
seven dollers worth
Guest
Its always obvious in The Knights home games.
Bulldog
Guest
As they say it is "BUSINESS" not "FAIRNESS". If you think big business and big money does not exert influence on outcomes you are deluded. In Business it is called risk management. Big money and big business is about the milking the margins. I am not suggesting it is a perfect science where big business you can totally manufacture a result however if they can slightly influence the chances of the result falling their way there are huge gains to be made around the margins.
Fra-Dog
Roar Rookie
The Cowboys never seem to win the penalty counts in Sydney, they are always crucified. Up against 14 players every time!
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
This is conspiratorial genius! Ch9 and the NRL have just discovered Souths after 20 year-or-so years of letting them bobble around at the bottom of the comp and even trying to kick them out of the comp. Meanwhile 'unpopular' teams like the Dragons and Eels have been forgotten by the evil duo of Gyngell and Smith (or should that be von Clausewitz and Macchiavelli). Smith has worked this all out after 6 months and at the same time as crippling the game by his reactionary response to the SOO biff, which is, of course, a distraction from this competition rorting by those crafty manipulators at 9. It's all starting to make sense! Of course, this doesn't leave much room for all the other great conspiracy theories, like how the NRL, through the refs, is favouring the western Sydney teams to fight against WSW and GWS, or favouring Melbourne because it's such an important market, or favouring the Sea Eagles because, you know, there the only team north of the harbour (and the pull such big crowds to finals games), or favouring the Broncos because they rate so well on TV, or, as the ever-alert Jaceman has so accutely pointed out, simultaneously favoured the Warriors for that crucial New Zealand market, or (insert your most-hated team, or the market that you believe is absolutely essential to the well-proven financial and strategic gurus of the NRL, here)... And, you know, Queensland winning SOO 7 times in a row is all part of the conspiracy because it just gives NSW that chip on the shoulder that has made SOO so big up north. 'Cos, you know, there's no way that bunch of Qld no-hopers won the 2nd SOO by blowing NSW off the park with near-faultless footballl in the first 20 minutes. I mean Inglis, Thurston, Smith, Slater, if you can't beat them it's got to be a rort, right?!? If the banana benders can win 70 series in a row, they'll have to change the capacity at ANZ to 500,000!
Elijah Weightman
Roar Guru
Interesting stats Curtis. It's funny how the Cowboys often loose the penalty count at home and abroad.
Jaceman
Guest
True but Warriors did get to play the Broncos twice during SOO when the Broncos were at their weakest so someone is looking after them...
Bulldog
Guest
Curtis - Firstly Oikee is right - it is way to simplistic to look just at penalty counts. The refs monitor the penalty counts and balance the books over the period of the game. One of the stats the refs get at half time is the penalty count and as such will even it up by the end of the game. Also timing of penalty makes a huge difference ie. on the 5th tackle, in the opposition half etc makes a huge difference. Not all penalties are the same. Secondly - lyou have to broaden your thinking and looking at home side etc is not the true game being played by the refs. It is more about top and bottom ladder teams and which teams would be preferable in the finals. The big $$$'s for the game is all about promotion, TV audiences, crowds etc. Therefore for example QLD win game 2 of SOO with a few "rub of the green decisions" - series goes to a decider in Sydney to a sold out crowd. Lots of media attention etc etc = lots of $$$'s for Ch9 and NRL. Souths is another example - they definitely get the better ref decisions consistently. WHY? because it is a great promotional tool for CH9 and NRL. If they make the GF it will be big news in Sydney, big crowd (as they are most peoples second fav team) etc etc More $$'s to CH9 and NRL. This is why you will NEVER see a Cowboys vs Warriors GF NEVER EVER... It would be financial suicide for the NRL and CH9, hence Cowboys get some really dud ref decisions in finals (ie. last year vs Manly) as the NRL could not risk Storm vs Cowboys final....
robbo's rabbit's
Guest
I personally cannot stand watching a game with someone when all they do is whinge about refereeing decisions going against his/her team.... Somehow they seem to miss the decisions that go their way and only bitch when it's against them....sound familiar does it... If the referee's pee you off that much, go and find a sport that doesn't give you the willies.. and stop ya whinging.
Jaceman
Guest
As for Scott Minto comment, just like origin 1 too on home penalties..
Geronimo
Guest
In SOO conveniently the home team also had to win to keep the series alive. Its not the home team per se. Its the 50-50 decisions (incl penalties) that go the way of the team that's behind on the scoreboard to make it an even contest. Others have written about this before including Warren Ryan and Roy masters. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/blues-disdain-only-gave-maroons-extra-firepower-20130627-2oyzg.html http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/billys-lowpenalty-diet-has-players-tightening-their-belts-20110322-1c58h.html http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/fox-pundits-ignorance-just-isnt-bliss-for-codes-tragics-20120309-1upor.html 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 http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/why-not-drug-test-nrl-referees-20130530-2nduo.html
Luke M
Guest
Oikee, you better wipe your chin mate.
Luke M
Guest
Fantastic response Scott. I couldn't have said that better myself!
Chris
Guest
Andrew johns, Brad Fittler there's 2. What you said at the start was correct but it happened in origin 2 Hoofman strip penatly Qld, Cam ' I can't be touched' Smith strips from Lewis gets away with it Qld score in the next set game over Qld win with the first 20 cause of the refs
Football_illiterate
Guest
do you ever stop with the dribble?
oikee
Guest
That has nothing to do with the quality of the NSW players. ? I mean come-on, daddy boy Pearce, Maloney, Gallen the penalty give away, if he was a food group he would be fast food take-a-way, always their for you, always give you a penalty. Who else, come-on, give me some of the games champs from NSW, who would you build a bronze Statue for, Gallen, the thug, Pearce, the second grade half, Maloney who gave away a strip penalty then could not tackle Faiday after that. Your clutching, clutching at straws. At least if your going to say something be prepared to back it up. Gee Whiz, NSW dont have many worldclass players, Queensland do. Even Cherry-evans was a class above those others, and we have Barba and plenty more to even make the Origin areana, you have got Pearce and Maloney, good luck with all that,. Another who blames everyone but their own. I heard Gallen needs a pillow, you have better run get it for him.