In the past couple of weeks the focus has well and truly been on referees. Since the scenes following the match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Canterbury Bulldogs on Good Friday, it seems as though the NRL community has spoken of nothing else.
To be honest, I was getting sick of it because I feel like blaming a referee for a loss is a cop out.
In sport just as in life, there are some situations where a decision will go your way and other situations where it will not. Referees are human and will make mistakes. Sometimes they will get it blatantly wrong. Sometimes they will miss things.
Sometimes they will just make a bad call. By the end of the season, it should all balance up (more or less). That’s football and that’s life.
However, today I did something different. Instead of watching the clash between the Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels live on television, I listened to it on ABC radio on my drive home. Listening via the radio, I had more opportunity to listen to the referees and what they were saying and I was extremely disappointed, particularly with Adam Devcich and the way he was speaking to the players.
I may be overreacting, particularly since the Eels are my team, but on two occasions (which I heard), both Tim Mannah and Jarrod Mullen were rebuked and pushed away by Devcich. I found the way that Devcich spoke to both players extremely rude and the tone he used, unnecessary.
The first was early in the second half, in the lead up to Newcastle’s first try. Tim Mannah approached the referee to question a call – one which was dubious at best. The Parramatta Eels had been penalised for what had appeared to have been the second knock on by the Knights in the space of one set of six. Instead of explaining to Mannah what the penalty was for, the referee simply waved him away saying “now’s not the time Tim, now’s not the time Tim, now is not the time”.
I shook my head in disbelief. Following what was a dubious call and after a respectful approach by Mannah – Mannah was simply waved away.
This happened once again, later in the game, but to Jarrod Mullen who was waved away in similar fashion.
I have a couple of comments.
At all times, I believe that our officials should be respected. However, respect is something which must be earned. Our referees need to ensure that they are speaking to our players with the respect that they also deserve, particularly when the captains are making an appropriate approach. If our referees want our players to speak to them in an appropriate manner, the captains needs to know when they can approach and need to know that they will be spoken to in the manner they deserve.
Secondly (and this goes to something which many people have been talking about), I feel like we need to think about referees and their status as ‘protected species’. It is clear that some players and many fans are beginning to get frustrated with incorrect calls and decisions which they do not understand.
We need to make changes to the system so that players and coaches can have a means of questioning a referees decision or asking why a particular call was made in a respectful and conciliatory manner. Currently, the system prevents this and is leading to plenty of frustration.
Until our players and coaches are given the opportunity to speak to referees – and I believe the perfect opportunity is a couple of days following the game – to understand why particular decisions have been made and the reasoning behind it, I truly feel that we are going to continue to have people frustrated with the performance of our officials. This will continue to work to the detriment of our game.
And Devcich – some advice please. Next time a player approaches you asking for a reason behind a call and does so in a respectful manner, how about answering the question? It would be much appreciated.
This is @mary__kaye from @ladieswholeague
Brett Page
Guest
Professional sporting contests are workplaces. As such,players,whose livelihoods depend on this making decisions about them in the workplace are informed and CONSISTENTLY correct. This guff about referees just being human and making mistakes as players do is rubbish. Players suffer the consequences of their errors. When referees err,mother men suffer, sometimes to the detriment of their careers. Officials need to work together as a team, use the available technology and GET IT RIGHT CONSISTENTLY. A big ask. But if they're not up to it, don't be a referee.
Ian
Guest
I think "now's not the time" is an entirely appropriate response. Maybe could have added "ask me next time there's a break in play" to be really clear and nice about it.
Sports Prophet
Roar Pro
Thanks GD, yes I remember it was a telling moment. Despite opinions on changing decisions, ultimately the final decision was the correct decision to the letter of the law. Now whether the law needs changing that is another conversation.
greenhouse disney
Guest
Dav I agree the. roosters club are rubbish Can't develop their own juniors so they got to steal players from other teams without getting caught being miles over the salary cap I'm glad they lost to souths in last year's preliminary final they don't even deserve to win anyway after leading by 30 points and almost losing to cowboys The cowboys should have beaten the roosters and possibly beat the rabbitohs in last year's grandfinal The roosters are a team of protected species Trent robinson is the most overrated coach to ever win a grand final It's good to see justice being served roosters losing and cowboys winning hope the roosters miss the finals and teams like cowboys get their wish by winning a premiership
greenhouse disney
Guest
Sports prophet it was josh morris it happened in last year's finals series bulldogs vs manly scores were level 16 all The bulldogs scored a field goal off that rubbish decision and it cost manly the game
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Isn't it a rule now that the captains aren't supposed to approach the refs at all until halftime or if the ref calls them over?
DiscoDave
Roar Rookie
Probably showing my age......but I was happy when referees simply referred to players as the number on their jersey, (hey, number ten, get on side) the captain could ask questions of clarification at half time or the end of the game (excuse me sir could you please explain........) and the ref might give an answer if in a good mood (now's not the time mate, now's the time). Honestly, just get on with it!
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Magic Man, that was magic, man. All I can add is have you ever overheard a new-age young mother debating with her precious about why it shouldn't poke that nice man with their slobbery toy. All done with utmost consideration for the little tykes emotional wellbeing. You know so the cherub won't be scarred for life by some discipline. Hearing ref's interact with players kind of reminds me of that scenario.
big J
Guest
I agree with you 100% respect goes both ways and it tis time that the players and refs both pull thier heads in and realized that one cannot do with the other.. No ref, no game, no players, no game. Everybody needs to get it that once the man has blown the whistle and the decsision is final, no if's buts or maybe's. If he can't get it right he'll be replaced hopefully and new will come in to the game. Far to many players approach refs these days and there seems to be little to no control. Players need to play the game and respect the ref and the refs need to get the calls right.
pedro
Guest
I'm sure I heard Rabbits refer to the ref yesterday as deadshit before quickly correcting himself. He must be an eels man.
steveng
Roar Rookie
There were a few controversial matches decision wise in round 7 and in most of those controversies the referees were blatantly wrong and cost some teams to lose the match. I don't know what the answer is but you can always sense when the game is going to change because the referee is about to award some penalty that will give one of the sides the advantage of either going further ahead or coming back into the game, it happened in 2 games on the weekend and it happens consistently week in week out in the NRL. Most of these so called incidents are for irrelevant things that should not have been panelised or sometimes its given for nothing. The things that are consistently controversial and being panelised and are niggly are; play the balls, defending players hanging on after a tackle, non head highs.
Sports Prophet
Roar Pro
One of the Morris brothers had the referee change his mind last year (origin maybe).Play was irregularly effected (hit ref maybe) and originally ref gave the scrum to the defending team and then changed his mind correctly to give the scrum to the team who had greater field position once Morris questioned the decision of who restarts. Although, that is the only time I have ever seen the referee change his mind.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
The incessant whingers also ruin it for the moments when a Captain is legitimately seeking clarification. I can remember a couple of times on the footy field when I didn't know why the ref blew his whistle and had to ask. If the players were in a cooperative mood, he'd listen. If there was a lot of backchat, he'd tell me to go away.
Muzz
Guest
They are no longer referees, only managers of a game. They follow instructions given to them before the match.These are based on providing entertainment and keeping as many fans engaged for as long as possible. This, at the cost of officiating by the NRL rule book and to the best of their ability. They deserve all the criticism they are currently getting imo.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
The Magic Man, I accept everything you say. For me though, if a player approaches a referee to ask why a decision has been made because he is unsure of the ruling or what his team has done, there is no need for the referee's to speak to them rudely. That's the only point I was trying to make. I'm not trying to bash referee's and accept that some decisions will go your team's way and others will not. But both players and referee's need to speak to each other with respect.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Adam Devcich ... "now's not the time Tim". David Klemmer ... "you're off your f@#$ing face mate". Discuss.
spruce moose
Guest
Why do they need an explanation Mary? Are they ignorant or are they looking for a verbal stoush? No captain goes up to the referee completely ignorant of the situation. They know exactly why the referee blew the whistle and the hand gesture indicates the penalty. The captain is going to the referee with the expressed intent to challenge the referee’s call and yes, despite some being polite, it is entirely unnecessary and they are trying to undermine the referee. What are they honestly expecting out of it? Perhaps if the team just threw up the hands and accepted the penalty, future hostile situations might be avoided. The reality is that there is simply no business for a captain to be challenging the referee or arguing it. It never looks good and will ALWAYS make the captain look worse off. Ask Ricky Ponting. Ask James Graham.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Perhaps I could have used a better example 'the Barry'. I don't often listen on the radio so was taken aback. It may also be because I am a Parramatta supporter.... and I don't pretend not to be bias. :P
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Spruce, not all Captains behave in that manner. If a captain approaches the referee to ask for an explanation about why a call has been made, I don't think they should be completely dismissed and spoken to like children. This goes both ways - there are certainly some captains who need to work on the way that they address our officials.
SpongeBob
Guest
I didn't know Jamie Lyon was playing on Friday night. First time I saw him? When he came racing over from the right wing to question a call that happened on the left, which for the record, was the right call anyway. Total pest.