Three games into Round 7 and we’ve already witnessed more refereeing blunders. If Tony Archer or Todd Greenberg come out and say that the referees are doing a good job, I’d question their eyesight.
Everyone knows that referees are always going to upset one side or the other with 50/50 calls. As fans, you accept that. What cannot be accepted though are the obvious inconsistencies throughout the opening rounds this season.
In the Bulldogs versus South Sydney match on Friday afternoon we saw a Bulldogs try disallowed due to an obstruction. The referee ruled that Josh Morris had run behind his teammate and gained an advantage.
Watching it live, I didn’t think it was obstruction. Yes, he ran behind his own player, but the South Sydney defenders weren’t necessarily impeded. It was poor numbering up on their part that led to the try.
Travelling up the M1 it was Manly versus North Queensland. This time, Kieran Foran runs through what seems to be a gaping hole in the defence and scores to bring his side level.
On the video replay it’s clear that Jamie Buhrer runs a decoy, makes contact with Ray Thompson and stands in the defensive line. Foran takes advantage of the space and Thompson can only grab Foran’s legs as he slides over.
It was obstruction quite clearly. By stopping in the line, Buhrer forced Thompson to run around him and therefore give Foran a relatively clear run to the line. If Buhrer isn’t there, Thompson can close the gap and make the tackle.
The try stood and Johnathan Thurston had every right to be irate at the decision. In the words of Phil Gould, “If you’re looking for consistency you’re watching the wrong game.”
He’s perfectly correct there. In one game a try is disallowed when the defenders were never really impeded. In another, it’s fairly clear that the defender was denied a clear shot at the ball-runner, yet the try was still awarded.
The biggest gripe supporters have with referees is consistency in their rulings. Not just obstructions but in the ruck speed and in the ten metres.
Watching the Eels versus Roosters game, it was like one speed for the Roosters and one speed for the Eels. Whenever the Eels began rolling forward the referees allowed the Roosters defenders to lie in the play the ball and slow down the play as much as possible.
At one point Mitchell Pearce was virtually laying on Nathan Peats and making no attempt to get off. No penalty was forthcoming.
If the NRL doesn’t sort out it’s referees, teams are going to continue getting dud calls. It’s not a good look for the game.
And don’t even get me started on Adam Devcich’s insistence on virtually watching the entire game via the video referee.
Dav
Guest
And put a chip in the ball they can easily rule on a forward pass..
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
So tonight in the Eels game. Sandow goes to his right, passes deep to Norman. Gower bumps Brooks and continues on his way. Brooks does his best impression of Ashley Young as Norman delivers the final pass to Hopoate who crosses. Cecchin calls a try but wants to check it. Norman receives the ball on Gower's outside shoulder. He straightens and runs at Chris Lawrence before passing the ball to Hopoate. Video Ref calls No Try. Gower didn't stop in the line, contact with Brooks was minimal. So in the space of 3 days you have two different rulings for two very different plays. This is what I mean by consistency. Buhrer was more of an obstruction than Gower yet Manly are awarded a try and Parramatta aren't. Don't get me started pn Cecchin's version of 10 metres which looks more like 12-13 metres
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
Thompson would've had a better shot at making the tackle on Foran. Bill Harrigan said on Triple M that it was a deadset No Try according to the rules that I stated above.
The Barry
Roar Guru
...and that's why there will never be consistency. Mike I agree with you..and SuperEel has a valid reason for wanting to allow that try. We're humans and can see the same incident knowing the same rules and interpret it all differently.
The Barry
Roar Guru
How many times have you been at the pub or in the lounge room with mates and all agreed on every decision, even after viewing multiple replays? I watched two games with my brother in law over the weekend and we disagreed on loads of decisions even with the benefit of replays. We're humans and we see things differently. Consistency is impossible. Consensus is impossible. The problem isn't that refs are making any more or less wrong decisions it's that we as a collective of media, players, fans, coaches and officials are whinging like stuck pigs every time we disagree with a decision instead of accepting it and moving on.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Unless you have the same person reffing every game there's no way possible to get consistency - even then I doubt it's possible. The author says that he thought the Thompson try where Morris ran behind one of his own players was a try. I'm a Bulldogs fan and thought it was no try. My brother-in-law is an Eels fan and he called it a try. Consistency is impossible. The obstruction / shepherd rule is one of many rules open to a lot of interpretation and as such every decision is going to have supporters and opponents. The real problem for mine is the reaction of everyone in the game to refs decisions. Instead of saying "I think the ref got that one wrong" or even not commenting at all, every decision now is a season ending howler that needs to be investigated, disgraceful, inconsistent and heads should roll. It's so pathetic. So far this week I've seen Bellamy, Green, Maguire, Gallen, Thurston and A Reynolds bagging refs in the media. The game needs players, coaches, fans and the media to grow up a little bit, behaving like men and accepting the refs decision instead of whinging like children every time a decision goes against them. I though the Foran try was a no try. But...the Cowboys let in three tries in the last ten minutes. Tamou dropped the ball with a ridiculous carry on the second tackle that put Manly in position. It was not ALL the referees fault that they lost. Same with the Dragons. I'm taking a stand. The worst criticism I'm going to hit a ref with for the rest of the season is "I didn't agree with that decision".
Fil
Guest
Same 4 blokes? What about games that kick off at the same time? Two on each game? It could work I suppose
turbodewd
Guest
Inconsistent decisions reflect ambiguous rules. Id examine the rules and tweak them.
Clint
Guest
I get what you're saying, the ambiguity doesn't lie in the rules, but where the ref's deem them to apply. In the case of shepherd/obstruction laws, it comes down to whether the ref thinks the obstructed player could have made the tackle or was too far away from the play. My issue with this is that the ref's shouldn't be able to choose whether the rule applies or not. It's too subjective. For example, when a team employs any sort of sliding defensive structure, a blocking runner who interrupts the slide 3 passes up the line is still effectively impeding the defensive efforts of that team. In the case of the Burher obstruction, if there was no leeway given to the ref's as to whether or not the rule applies, the decision for the video ref would have been black and white. His life would be easier and so would everyone else's.
Bearfax
Guest
Of course we wont talk about the 2013 Grand final will we Adam. Methinks your spectacles only see a certain colour range.
Mantis
Roar Guru
Refs make the right call the vast majority of the time without the video ref anyway. Look at how good they did in the 9s. The sooner the NRL bring in the challenge system the better
fishes
Guest
Can't believe how many commenters are defending the nrl here. Consistentcy is the least anyone can expect from a professional sport.
KB
Guest
I don't see what you see..which is, as far as I can ascertain, EVERYTHING in maroon and white..go the mighty roosters!
turbodewd
Guest
Fair point. I am tired of Phil Gould and half the rugby league community complaining about refereeing. They want a fast game with 2 refs and flawless calls - cant happen!
Millsy from Perth
Guest
It seems the latest refereeing blunders are due to the simple fact they do not know the rules. It is about time they went back to the rule book and referee to the letter of the laws and not try to massage or coach them (the Players) for the NRL. I get fed up seeing these teams and viewers, spectators get dudded every week by refereeing incompetence and by false interpretation of the rules. I could go on about that but would take too long. And for goodness sake get rid of these ex-players off the decision making unless they have actually refereed as they clearly have not got a clue. I would think instead of a bunker system have it like the NFL and have a screen so the onfield referee makes a decision and I like the idea of a challenge as in the Holden Cup or Cricket.
John Lassen
Roar Rookie
Quit whinging
eagleJack
Guest
Officials from the NRL visited the NHL's War Room last year which is based in Toronto. They are able to scrutinise a few games at once and, because the same people are doing it, they have consistency in decisions week to week. It can't be far off. It is desperately needed.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I agree with you on a back to the future look. Good idea for an article.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
This is the ideal time to complain about the reffing. If the team loses, its called whinging so to have the win means you can complain not being the loser. All we want is consistency especially from the video ref but it would also be nice to have the on field refs pick up forward passes.
turbodewd
Guest
Whenever you are confronted with a problem that is baffling you need to bring in fresh eyes. The NRL should invite over some senior US sports referees to get their opinions. Get an NBA and NFL official to ask hard questions and make their views on what we are doing right and wrong.