“People, who need people,” sang Barbara Streisand in her hit song of 1964, People, “are the luckiest people in the world.”
And if there’s a group of people in the world who need people, and love, and a vigorous group man-hug, it’s the referees of our dear sweet National Rugby League.
Is there a more vilified group? Are there individuals in the game – the world – for whom perfection is so demanded?
There are not. And it’s time – past time – we go into bat for ‘em.
Consider: Players stuff up rudimentary play-the-ball, administrators schedule Dragons-Rabbits at the SCG at 6pm on a Friday, and journos make spelling mistakes using software with a computerised spell-checker.
And these people are criticised, sure. But we don’t demand they’re sacked. We understand they are humans, and to err is thus, et cetera.
Yet if refs make a mistake, they’re not considered human. Or at best the most useless humans in the world.
And we demand they’re sacked. Which is silly.
Or maybe it’s fair enough: we pay our Fox Sports subscription we can yodel thus.
(Channel Nine).
But here’s the thing: if we are going to demand sackings when refs make mistakes, we must apply the same thing to ourselves. We can’t demand perfect adjudication unless we apply the same stringent demands upon ourselves in our everyday lives.
For as Jesus and possibly Barbara Streisand said: he who has not sinned may indeed ask the referee if his eyes are painted on.
So if you’re fair dinkum, next time you return from the bar and can’t remember which beer belongs to who, sack yourself from the pub. Red card, home you go.
And cut the refs some slack. It’s a very tricky gig, and they do get 97 per cent of things spot-on correct.
And that’s not a number I plucked from the air. Their work is quantified thus. Refs will make between 390 and 410 decisions every match. And every single one is reviewed. Refs are allowed a mistake rate of three per cent.
Decisions are graded differently. Missing a man inside the ten does not equate to sending the wrong fellow off.
They train hard. Really hard. During the week refs will ride a bike or work a rowing machine until they attain a certain heart-rate, and then they’ll be tested with decisions.
They call it BTUF – Brain Training Under Fatigue. They’re exhausted then tested cognitively.
And not just rugby league stuff. There could be quizzes on an iPad. Tracking a digital ball. Quick! Six times nine!
Like police officers they undertake simulated conflict to deal with “unreasonable” people. You get yelled at by James Graham and David Klemmer. Deal with that.
I hung around with the refs one evening, Bulldogs versus Souths at ANZ Stadium, like a fly-on-the-wall in the sheds. Smell of liniment in the air, match balls on a table. Technical stuff, cords, comms kit, what look like flak jackets.
Refs boss Tony Archer was there. And Russell Smith, ref coach. He would be up watching replays of the night’s game until 3am.
That was about the time the refs were able to leave ANZ Stadium the previous time those teams met, the infamous Night of The Bottles. Bad Friday.
Refs Jared Maxwell and Gavin Morris talked shop with Archer, making karate chop movements with their hands, talking tactics, phantom salt-and-pepper shakers.
I caught bits of it – “Take ‘em back”, “move ‘em up”. Some of it they whispered lest the journo hear. Publicity-conscious, our refs. Probably fair enough.
Walking out onto the ground with Archer a bloke leaned over the parapets ten metres above us and yelled: “Archer! Your refs are shit! They’re shit, mate! Shiiiiit.”
Archer made a face a cross between a smirk and a brush. Pfft, good one, champion.
I took a plastic seat on the sideline next to reserve ref Ben Cummins. ANZ Stadium was roaring for Dogs and Bunnies. It was a frothing Coliseum. The noise on the sideline was a cloak. Cummins was still as a ninja.
A replay of a knock-on came on the screen. Maxwell awarded Souths a scrum based on the word from video ref Bernard Sutton.
“People say these things can take too long and to just get on with it,” said Cummins. “But end of the day the decision is right.”
I noted that people don’t seem to cop that a referee can make a mistake. Cummins chuckled. “That is true.”
By the 33rd minute the Bulldogs led 18-nil. Souths attacked but the Dogs conceded a string of penalties.
“When teams get ahead and they’re defending they don’t mind giving away penalties,” said Cummins.
“Wouldn’t Bin ‘em?” I asked.
“You’d have a word with the captain first,” replied Cummins.
(AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)
As if reading Cummins’ mind, Maxwell called out James Graham. Word came from the video box there’s been five consecutive penalties in the ruck. Maxwell explained this to Graham. The big Pom nodded. Something of a ritual. Graham knew what he could get away with and now knew for how long.
Sam Kasiano came off after 15 minutes of sweaty man-action. A giant Burgess came off, blowing like bellows. All these sweating behemoths, on and off.
But refs Jared Maxwell and Gavin Morris had no such respite. Their bodies and minds were engaged all 80 minutes.
After a scoot from dummy-half a winger can float back off to his wing. Props can go hammer-and-tong then have a drink. Even playmakers can have a spell in defence one in from the sideline.
But refs, running all game, have to concentrate every second.
Consider one single hit-up. Refs need to think of: his position; comms with his fellow referee; whether blokes are back ten; whether it’s a high tackle; a late tackle; a strip; a forward pass; a dud play-the-ball; the lippy hooker; the 30,000 people screaming obscenities.
And repeat. Every play, every tackle, every set. All game.
Bottom line is they’re super-fit rules people, professional action men of officialdom. And they actually make very few mistakes but those they do are massively amplified.
Their best games they’re anonymous.
Bottom line they do their best. And they are the best there is.
Even if their eyes are painted on.
Patrick Logan
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure players don't get 400 touches in a game
Patrick Logan
Roar Rookie
Penalise early and send to sin bin. And if it continues? send another? Suddenly people complain about the referees ruining the game for having too much control. Lose-Lose. Its been said before it will be said again the fans need an improved attitude or this league will fall apart.
Beavis
Guest
My memory of harrigan was his bizarre decision against the Tigers in the 89 GF which changes the game (penalised McGuire? for being against the spirit of the game because he tried to get around 2 Canberra defenders using a fend?) Brought Canberra back into the game). Also when Australia were thrashing NZ he got a video review of every Aussie try even when it was obvious there was no doubt yet when NZ scored a very dubious try no video referral.
Patrick Logan
Roar Rookie
I would have loved to be in that league. Not only did the spectators give it to the refs, just about all the players did as well. It was so bad that they had to make it a rule that any stray comment at all resulted in an immediate 10 metres given, with no limit to how many they would give out. There are a whole crowd of amazing people who do the right thing every week and enjoy a great game of football, but I believe that there needs to be a better attitude needs to be integrated into those ref haters.
Beavis
Guest
Barry You seem so defensive you might be from NRL Central. The closeness of the scores has applied to SOO in recent years - look at the scores over 30 years. NSW went in to brisbane as vast underdogs and if Qld won the first game, the series interest may decline. NSW win put some interest into it and a close game would have risked that. Qld won the second game and again they need a decider for TV. The Tele had 3 pages on how the refs dudded NSW and how to get a decider. The third let them play I guess (like the old exhibition tennis matches where the players would share a set and then play the third for real) and the audience was locked in for the first half at least. A one score game up to 60-70 mins is as good as a close finish for advertisers where you cant pull rough decisions out of the air. Anyway I think masters was talking about the seasons games as a whole and not just one origin series.
Benji
Guest
Referees can only do so much to keep it close - this years was an anomaly but the NSW and Qld comebacks in first 2 games with Qld clinching at home were enough drama to keep interest. You have to look at more than 1 year to make assessments. Masters has seen more games than all of us. Imagine the Melbourne press writing that AFL games are manufactured.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Beavis - in your last post you made the point that referees were engaged to manufacture close results and even stated that referees who are successful in doing so are given State of Origin appointments. But in Origin this year game one was a blowout to NSW. Not even the staunchest Queensland supporter put it down to the refs post game. Why did the refs - who were appointed because of their ability to keep the game close - not intervene to keep the biggest game of the year close? Game 2 wasn't a blowout as you've said. It was the closest game of the series. But game 3, Origin decider, biggest game of the year is another blowout. Why did the puppet master referees not blow the pea out of the whistle to keep the game close? That is after all, the reason why they were selected. It doesn't make any sense. The evidence for all these conspiracy theories is circumstantial at best. The problem is the circumstances you've provided don't support your theories.
Beavis
Guest
NSW were underdogs so a win for them in the first set up the series. The second SOO was a blowout because Qld got all the decisions (like so there would be a DECIDER)??? The telegraph had 3 pages on it. The commentators are always going on about this will go down to the wire, this team is coming back and they were behind by x points in last rounds game and came back to win. The bookies are aware of Cumming home in the second half.
Magnificat
Guest
My RL fanatic mate agrees that Saturday arvo with the Roosters was at least one game reffed by BC that should be looked at thru the prism of Masters view. Masters has written about this before many times.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No it's not THE point. It's A point of view. As I wrote above there's a ready made 'refs are duds / crooked' excuse ready made for every scenario. It's childish. I'm sure there have been games where Sutton or Cummins have given penalties on the third tackle. How many games have there been where they haven't given the trailing team a penalty on the third tackle? Should refs not give penalties on the third tackle? Sutton was ref for Origin this year. Two of the games were blow outs. Why would he not keep the biggest games of the year even if that's been his MO his entire career and the reason why he's selected by the NRL for big games? I don't expect any answers. Conspiracy theorists only comment on the few games that fit their paradigm and ignore the 90% of games that don't. They also call people who don't drink their Kool-Aid things like blind. I'm not really worried about fraud being discovered. I'm just not willing to point fingers based on half baked theories with zero evidence. Do you really think the NRL could really pull of this level of subterfuge with dozens of referees and tough judges involved and not one whisper of evidence coming out? Luke Phillips is a former player and referee that absolutely loathes Tony Archer and has unloaded on him several times in the media. Yet not once has he mentioned fraud or being told to keep teams in the game or do anything untoward.
Benji
Guest
The point is that certain refs who get SOO manage to have one score games most of the time and who get FTA games a lot as well. As far as leading teams giving away penalties on their own line, that happens but rarely are the same indiscretions picked in the reverse situation - that's what is so obvious The GS and BC favourites were the penalty for offside on the 3rd tackle when training teams were in their own quarter. Roy Masters and Warren Ryan are running conspiracy theories - its the true defence of those who either don't understand, don't want to understand or are hostile to anyone criticizing their game as if they would be lost without it if there was discovered fraud. It seems common knowledge that a referee threw a few games in the 60's and we all know of the Tandy and other instances of "smell" Fitzgibbons last game for Easts.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Just accepting random conspiracy theories isn't really having an open mind though. If a former ref comes out and says the refs were routinely instructed to keep teams in the game or even up penalty counts it whatever I'm prepared to accept. But until there's evidence like that it's really just all make believe. That's what having an open mind is, not just swallowing every conspiracy theory because its suits. If the better team gets ahead on the penalty count then the NRL wants to ensure certain teams make the semis. If the lower team on the ladder gets the penalties then the refs are trying to keep them in the game. If a penalty count evens up the refs are applying get square penalty counts. If the penalty count is lopsided the refs are only watching one team. If one team gets ahead in the penalty count and the refs even it up it's manufacturing a result. If the penalty count doesn't even up the refs are biased. If the refs don't blow enough penalties they're ignoring the rules. If they blow too many they're nit picking, destroying the flow and don't have a "feel for the game." If a 50/50 call goes against our team, the refs have robbed us and cost us the game. If a dubious call goes our way it's the rub of the green, swings and roundabouts and that's sport for you. These are all 'theories' trotted out after every game. They completely contradict one another and provide 'evidence' of a conspiracy regardless of the result or the penalty count. It's childish in the extreme to buy into any of this junk. Refs are human - they always have, do and always will make mistakes. The problem is not the refs it's us expecting every decision to be correct because we see 20 replays from 8 angles in super slow mo and the complete histrionic overreaction when we feel a decision has gone against us.
Magnificat
Guest
Keep am open mind - you never know what you will discover
The Barry
Roar Guru
What part of my comment relies on only one game? I wrote in very general terms and didn't reference any one game. People see what they want to see with the refs. Most of the commentary include Masters' is completely subjective. I think a lot of the time - particularly recently - the 'phenomenon' of penalties going to teams trailing is because of the way the team in front plays. Thursdays game is just one example of that. It's logical though. You get 14-0 up. You know the opposition isn't going to take the two and even if they do it's probably a better outcome. You know the refs are unlikely to bin anyone. Why wouldn't you take a bit longer in the tackle to get your line set? It certainly makes more sense than an NRL wide conspiracy to keep games close. You're not really suggesting that because the NRL hasn't taken legal action against Masters that it must be true are you? Hahaha How much garbage gets written about the game every day? How many lawsuits from the NRL? Wow, it must all be true.
Magnificat
Guest
Masters didn't say it was OK just in his view it happened (penalty spread after half time). You seem to be reliant on one game to prove your point whereas Masters and Ryan have been watching games for 50 years. The one game had a penalty count of 10-2 to the behind team and other odd decisions (forward pass, play the ball decisions) yet you are not uncomfortable. Masters went to make the point of evening up games in the middle of the article for legal coverage I guess but he has written this before and there has been no legal challenge or even HO rebuke. Wonder why??.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
That's right , Archer is the fish's rotten head , how can they guys on the ground get it right ,when they're instructed to get it wrong .
Big Daddy
Guest
Refs might be OK. Linesman are absolute crap.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The refs are doing a fine job. The problem is that they are being told to do the wrong job.
Wild Eagle
Guest
This whole debate on referees misses the point entirely. Mistakes by players are a vital part of the game and we are in trouble without them. There is nothing good about mistakes by referees and everything needs to be done to get rid of them. Here is the irony. How do we know that the refs mistake rate is 3%? Because the same replay that the captain needs to be able to use to challenge a wrong decision is reviewed three days after the game when it doesn't matter any more. As an Eagles fan I clearly remember a much smaller Eagles team bust their bodies for the whole 2013 season including the GF only to have a ridiculous forward pass largely seal their fate. It is beyond ridiculous that the Captain can't wonder up to the ref and demand that they review this forward pass and allow the players to decide the game. Match point in a tight 5 setter at the US open doesn't need to be decided because an umpire understandably can't tell that the ball catches a bare touch of of white line. The Grand Final is on in a months time and as it stands now the ref can make the biggest howler of all time because he or she is human, and millions of people watching TV and all the players and coaches can see it yet the rules say that we have to pretend that we don't know the truth.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Manage and coach the game . Good analysis of what tends to go on for a good part of each game . Let the players play , penalise them for rule infringements and send them off when they continually infringe. That's the refs job.