The Reds’ loss to the old enemy NSW on Saturday night was devastating for Queenslanders.
The Reds put on a six-try-to-four extravaganza only to be beaten by eight points as a result of giving away more penalties and Bernard Foley’s accurate goal kicking.
On the goal kicking, Bryce Hegarty had an excellent game in every other respect, scoring two tries. Unfortunately his boot – which is normally one of the best in the Aussie conference at over 80 per cent accuracy – let him down in this game, slotting only one of six attempts.
It was a lousy day at the office for the Hegarty, but the reality is he would have had to kick at 100 per cent to get the Reds a win due to Bernard Foley’s sharp shooting. Foley’s successful penalties all occurred in the second half of the game, with the Reds being penalised seven times to the Waratahs’ four. Despite the temptation to be parochial and blame the penalties on the ref, they all looked fair enough on replay.
Bernard Foley booted NSW home against the Reds. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
The two scrum penalties were the most concerning. This was the second time in the last two weeks Queensland have conceded critical scrum penalties towards the end of matches.
This is disappointing as the Reds’ big pack have scrummaged well all season, so hopefully the coaches will analyse why this is occurring and correct the late-game fades.
The refereeing decision that looked questionable was the try to NSW No.8 Michael Wells, which looked like it came from a forward pass by Kurtley Beale. The ref didn’t think so, though, and awarded it without checking with the television match official, much to the displeasure of the spectators, who let him know about it with a bout of abuse and booing.
Unfortunately that wasn’t the start of the spectator behaviour.
Where I usually sit near the sideline towards the centre of the park, there were quite a few blokes who spend most of the game bellowing ‘advice’ to the ref and touchies about alleged opposition infringements. I suspect that these loud attempts to influence the officials by Reds fans are counter-productive, annoying them to the point where they subconsciously punish the Reds on 50/50 calls.
I remember the same fixture against the Tahs in 2017, when the referee penalised the Reds off the park in the last 30 minutes for no apparent reason, with the Reds again losing after gaining an official lead. The coincidence seems uncanny.
Many of us have vented frustration at a refereeing decision that we don’t like and a bit of witty banter from the sideline can be funny, but is it really necessary for people to badger the officials for the entire game?
Perhaps it might work to influence referees in New Zealand regional footy stadiums, but over there, every second bloke seems to look like Buck Shelford and the bloke next to him looks like Richard Loe.
In contrast, in the platinum stands at Suncorp, it is all chinos and boat shoes. There is nothing intimidating about a bunch of bellowing tax accountants – it is just annoying and if I was the ref I would be inclined to teach them some manners, too.
There are more positive ways to support our team. When hooker Alex Mafi caught Matt McGahan’s magical left-footed cross kick and dodged inside Tahs winger Alex Newsome to score at try, thousands of Reds supporters leapt to their feet and roared with joy at our hooker/winger, pumping our fists skyward in unison.
It was an awesome rugby memory that I won’t lose despite the loss. Thanks Alex and Matt.
Isn’t it great to see a homegrown player like Mafi progress so well this season. He started not being able to reliably throw a line-out and now he is throwing straight and true, as well as doing an awesome job in the scrum and around the park.
The Reds need the crowds to keep up the positive support, bag the officials a lot less and perhaps even throw in the odd “well done, sir” when they make decisions we like.
Honey catches more flies than vinegar – a sentiment the QRU would do well to gently remind fans of before the last couple of home games this year.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
10 in the run onside. Shudders!
Spraggsy
Guest
Aaaaaaaah the Ballymore boot parties. How good were they.The QRU have put a stop to it just recently as we were having too much fun apparently. Cannot drink in the carpark anymore. Must have been a Thorn idea. Did i ever tell you blokes how Souths Magpies won 5 grand finals at Ballymore in 1992 and i was part of two of them How good. Still a record i believe
Dan
Guest
Whod go to suncorp and watch the reds play anyway Rubbish
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Only if you are going to Dirty Caf.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Yeah deckies, that’s what we used to call them. Clearly I have forgotten my roots, though we can blame shoe sellers for that because that is what they are called now.
Massive Ferguson
Guest
There were girls on XXXX hill? If you found some you must be a back.....disgraceful. I never made it past the esky in the boot of the car half the time.
Locky
Guest
ThugbyFan As someone else said earlier this week we can probably expect 12-14 of the Wallaby 23 to be Waratahs. It may be hard for Cheika to fit in all his favourites, but he will try. Below is Cheikas preferred Wallabies. 1 Robertson 2 TPN 3 Kepu 4 Simmons 5 Rodda 6 Dempsey 7 Hooper 8 Pocock 9 Genia 10 Foley 11 AAC 12 Hunt 13 Kerevi 14 DHP 15 Beale 16 Latu 17 Alaalatoa 18 Sio 19 Hanigan 20 Samu 21 Phipps 22 Hodge 23 Maddocks P.S Some bolters for selection are Cam Clark Michael Wells Jed Holloway and HJH
Danny
Roar Pro
His ground kicking was variable to say the least. The charge down was unforgivable but the ref should have checked early charge of which there was a hint. I don’t sense Bryce has any authority on the ground. Very decent player and good bench. I don’t have the answer but it has to be strong and team.
Browny
Guest
Not Boat shoes. .Sheeesh . I take offense to that . How rude..haha . They are called Deck shoes " Deckies " . Myself and my mates wore them in the late 80`s combined with a flatop to Ballymore all the time. Most of the day we were too busy chatting up the girls on XXXX Hill to worry about the rugby. We did see glimpses of it to be fair.
Paul
Guest
I regularly go to Brumbies and Raiders matches. I find the two crowds very different. The Brumbies crowd is very reserved. In the members section they get right into it and are very vocal. I am not a member and sit on the second tier of the scoreboard end. I am surrounded by under 18’s who are catching up with mates who due to their age can’t go anywhere else. They are not really into the game and are constantly walking around the stadium. The Raiders match is family oriented and whole families come out to watch. The whole crowd is very vocal. Also the Raiders have the Viking clap which makes for great atmosphere. I think league is much easier to watch from the stands. Rugby looks better on tv and on the stadium big screen. I think is because a lot is happening around the ruck which hard to see from the stands.
josh
Roar Rookie
The chambray is a given though.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Oh ok, since everyone keeps mentioning it I will admit that while I was wearing boat shoes myself, I wasn’t really looking at everyone else’s feet. The choice of clothing and footwear mentioned was really just literary flourish to describe the demographic. At least I didn’t say chambray.
josh
Roar Rookie
Wait, Betoota Advocate says its RM Willimans boots? Or are they in the other section? Is footwear mentioned on the ticket?
freddieeffer
Roar Rookie
Good post Sinclair.
Piripiri
Guest
Perhaps if the ref performed impartially the crowd would be so vocal! Forward pass, collapsed maul, pulling down in scrum and taking outplayers beyond the ruck..all basic laws that tahs were not penalised for. In fact the collapsed maul should’ve been a penalty try! I think There could be merit in giving each team 2 referrals like in cricket esp for try scoring infringements.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
The old days of the cauldron would have eaten up and spat out these refs. Full houses for every broncos games and state of origin and the ground often gave a bad call by the ref a 30,000 strong chant of BS. The reds crowd never really gave the abuse to a ref like they did in the league but I have a witnessed XXXX can shower or two at Kiwi fans during the old days on the hill.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Interesting comments Rhys, and agree the Reds reserves are a little too disorganised in set pieces and keeping the referee on their side. H.Hoopert, R.Smith and BPA badly got towelled up by HJH, C.Talakai and T.Latu and this needs to be resolved and fast. Sure a couple decisions/non-decisions were 50:50 but the Reds reserve scrum really needs a good kick. However what really annoys me though is the constant media bias. Yes the Tahs won the match but ffs they let in SIX tries. How can any team crow about a win after conceding 6 tries to a side missing key backline players? Add that CFS and C.Timu couldn't finish the match. Yet Monday's Herald has the Tahs' fan boi, aka P.Cully, selecting his Joke Aussie Team of the Week. Would you believe 8 Tahs to 2 Reds and 3 Rebels. The Rugby.com.au website was just as bad with 9 Tahs and 3 Reds. Foxtel have a Super Rugby Wrap screened on Monday night. If you didn't know the score, after listening to the two ex-Tah commentators pumping up the tyres of KBeale et al you would think the Tahs ran in 8 tries to 1 in a massive victory. I honestly feel we are being softened up for a Tah-laden RWC2019 WB squad. Coach Mickey isn't going to drop his boys now, they have done so well in the last 3 years, haven't they! LoL
Gloria
Roar Rookie
I have not seen a pair of boat shoes at a Reds match since 1985. And in decades of attending Reds matches I can say with certainty that it is one of the most polite and happy crowds in the country, despite the mess they are now in. A poor attempt at deflection of the fact that the Reds are now 13th out of 15 and Thorn has failed and should be sacked.
riddler
Roar Rookie
Cheers rhys. Not sure about the boat shoes, haven't seen them for ages, thankfully. Love the tax accountant angle, probably add in reserves for 5th xv while at school. As a passionate fan, an avg ex player and a terrible ref I agree with u 100%. Banter and wit are superb. Brain de ad yelling at the ref on the otherhamd is like small man syndrome, making up for something lacking in their lives. Remember one game I was having a go at reffing. I was ordinary so was copping a bit of abuse, which is fine and due. One tw at kept going for it though in a look at me manner. So I stopped and went and offered him the whistle and tried to take his beer, I said let's swap. Needless to say his voice box stopped working but his skin went overdrive turning red. Most had a laugh, especially the players. The rest of game was a joy. Never been a school teacher but I guess it must be the same. Call it out, show it up and then it flows on.
Jiffyrabbit
Guest
Dear god, this really is dribble. Does the Roar not vet the articles that the 'crowd' publishes? Perhaps the Author would be better off attending the Cricket, Football NRL or AFL. Or perhaps not because the crowd behaves in exactly the same way in those sports. Guess its back to watching Home & Away in that case...