Everywhere you go this week, NRL punters want to chuck in their two cents about the Storm versus Dragons siren shenanigans. However, few have asked the real question that needs to be asked.
That is, how did all this actually happen?
After all, referees’ boss Tony Archer’s explanation that Matt Cecchin reacted half a second too late after eighty minutes of sustained physical exertion is frankly unbelievable – as unbelievable as the Sharks trying to sign Benji Marshall.
If you ask me there has to be another reason for the whole shemozzle and the NRL are yet again simply playing us fans for a bunch of fools.
After doing my own research over the last few days, I’ve pinpointed some far more likely causes for the whole drama.
AAMI park’s wrong-sounding siren
Anyone who has grown up following rugby league knows what a rugby league siren sounds like.
That is, “AWRRRRRHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee!”
However perhaps in an attempt to fit in with its chic Melbourne surroundings, the flashy AAMI park has gone for an AFL inspired “BOOOOOOOOOORRRRR!”
Now, while working his way through the rugby league ranks, which one do you think Cecchin would have heard more of? Exactly.
I’m 100 per cent confident that without this auditory aberration all we’d be talking about after Monday night’s game is how Josh Dugan shouldn’t be allowed within 10 kilometres of the NSW side.
The phantom siren
Does anyone remember that hilarious bloke who used to imitate a siren in the dying moments of NRL matches in an attempt to confuse the match officials and players?
Oh, and what team did he used to support? Now let me think…
Yeah, funny isn’t it.
With this sort of evidence can anyone blame Cecchin for hesitating for half a second, knowing full well that said bloke could well be sitting on the sidelines letting one rip?
Sirengate to lift a gate
The Dragons go up against the Warriors at Kogarah in Round 7, a match probably best summed up by New Zealand coach Andrew McFadden dropping the most exciting centre in the competition for “failing to meet key defensive efficiency KPIs”.
Yep, the clash has middle-manager, occupational-health-and-safety fire-warden training written all over it – or at least it did, before Monday night.
Now all of a sudden the Dragons fans are ready to set fire to the Sizzler across from the stadium, they’re that mad, and the Kevin Campion Cup has gone from Saturday night snoozer to a must-attend for anyone who loves a bit of the Red V.
The refs wanted to see what would happen
Let’s be honest here, didn’t we all want to see what the Storm were going to pull out on that last play? A Cooper Cronk village-burner, a Cam Smith special, a Ben Roberts field goal to lose by one – we all knew something special was likely to occur.
Sure it may not be strictly professional as such, but by just giving Melbourne one final throw of the dice Matt Cecchin was really showing how much passion he has for the game.
I mean, if the match had ended with a boring tackle we would have been denied one of the great Youtube gems for decades to come. Surely that would be far worse than some team whose fans want a new coach anyway missing out on a measly two competition points.
A bottle of 1959 Penfolds Grange
Could it not be a case of white with chicken… and a red with Cecchin?
Or is it just Dragons fans having a w(h)ine?
Muzz
Guest
Was anyone at the double header Sharks V Cowboys 7 tackle game last year? The clock went to full time/game over then added 5 minutes to the game, then at approximately 4 minutes left it jumped back down to 2 minutes and counted down from there.To me, it looked like an extra 3 minutes was added.
calum
Guest
great question and exactly what I thought when it happened in the tigers manly game at half time. classic village effort from the NRL hierarchy not seeing what would happen... so many games are close and finish my goal line finishes or whatever, it was completely obvious this was going to happen sometime soon.
Bogga
Guest
Isn't there a delay of at least half a second between the sounding of the siren and it being heard on the pitch, given the distance between the actual siren and the referee. Ever been to a cricket game and watched the play only to hear bat on ball a split second later?
Xman
Guest
I thought it was Christina Applegate.
Xman
Guest
Shame is worth every cent to Channel Nine...
jamesb
Guest
Watergate has a lot to answer for. Whenever there's a scandal, does "gate'' always needed to be added on?
Graham Sanyo
Guest
Loved those days when the siren would sound for half time, the players would start walking off and the referee would yell out "No guys, it's the Phantom, we're not done yet."
Gonads At Large
Guest
I haven't heard The Phantom for ages. Haven't seen Skull May either. Hope they are both well.
bryan
Guest
Refs are not being paid enough... You assume the money they make only requires turning up for the game. The majority of senior refs spend a hell of a lot of time during the weekends attending lower grade games and assisting younger refs coming through, as well as bonus training sessions for them. When I was pushing hard to be in the old NYC soccer comp at 14-15, Ben Williams and Ben Wilson ran 2-3 training sessions a week for the juniors, as well as their own sessions. They would fly to a NSL match Friday/Saturday, then spend all Sunday attending games for the junior refs too help them. They would write up 10-20 reports a week for us kids with a full evaluation, 5-10 pages each. This is on top of their regular day jobs. They also did fitness everyday. I once tried to beat Williams on a beat test, run by the AIS, to full standards. I collapsed at 15.8, and Benny was barely puffing. He then ran a full training session afterwards, including a 5km run in under 18 minutes, and a bunch of 200m sprints + drills etc. For a comparison, the same beat test is run by the AFL draft every year, and the record is a 16.6. The simple fact of the matter is, until you have a full 100% professional set of umpires, you really can't expect as much out of them as everyone wants to. And in terms of fitness, the refs I worked with were far far fitter than the actual players.
Fil
Guest
No actually but when I did look at the source it only confirmed my figures. Touch judges alone earn 1000 a game in addition to their contract. The main point is that they are paid employment, have technology at their fingertips and use it inefficiently
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
He's probably using this Roar thread - http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/03/26/are-referees-under-paid/
Graham Sanyo
Guest
You want a definitive siren sound? Find The Phantom. He's been dormant for a while now.
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
Refs getting 100K a year? Care to back that up with a source?
paul crann
Guest
Ask yourself why the top three teams in last year's premiership were also the most penalised. No wonder Archer came out on the front foot. The ref's know where their bread is buttered. I have lost all faith in the game and only wish we could return to the Pre pay tv days and a bit of authenticity but then it is not just league to suffer in this regard in contemporary times.
Fil
Guest
Problem is mate, they are not kids on the oval and refs are getting over 100 grand a year, training all week to get this right. Its not good enough, as robbie farah said to ashley klein. Of course he was then told he risked getting sent to the bin for hitting too close to the mark. I heard klein even blamed the club saying it was the club's issue for not sounding the siren, when everyone else heard. There are bigger issues at play here. There can't not be in a sport that is now primarily tv entertainment rather than a contest.
mushi
Guest
There is nothing more pure, no act more akin to the lightning strike which rouses the sporting Frankenstein that is rugby league than one more play of the ball if the siren has just blown. Didn’t you guys ever play on the oval at lunch? The bell would ring and there was always one more tackle and the “next try wins” call would go up.
Griffo
Guest
We're about 5 months early for this to happen to the Cowboys Bryan
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Agree totally on the strip. Ref;s rule a strip when it's lost and rule lost when it is stripped. Poor ball responsibility is rewarded. Being a dinosaur, make it the players responsibility to hold on to the ball, as well bring back the old five metre rule where both sides had to be back five metres from the ruck.
bryan
Guest
Could you imagine the abuse if this happened to Cowboys..... haahahahahaha it would make my day
Fil
Guest
Of course they could have. But as I mentioned in an earlier post, the refs seem to use the technology for moments that seem a lot easier for them to adjudicate on and neglect it for crucial decisions like a try scored after/before the siren. I also think the refs in the video box need to use some common sense and check things for themselves, not just when asked. The addition of technology to sport should be a help and not a hindrance restricted by protocol and procedure.