Green, Seibold differ on game-deciding call

Stuart I think the rule above contradicts itself and then 1(c) basically allows offical to make any call they like. I did make a comment but I assume it has been moderated?

It sounds like they have every situation covered with enough grey opinion base to call what ever they like. Serious question what McCollough did when in front of Turpin’s grub before dropping the ball over the line was obstruction but completely ignored by the bunker and officials. It should have been a penalty. Then McCollough is a victim of obstruction? If Drinkwater had of run and bumped into Joe.O when Fafita scores it should have been over ruled. The poorly coached Cowboys don’t milk the rule book unfortunately. When they have in the past the refs call them out on rules 4 and 5.

Like the positive attitude Jimmmy! I have been a bit down on the cows in my last few post, but your right, Clifford did some nice things and I really think the players are putting in, they have just lost all confidence. I thought Hess had some nice runs in the second half coming back into the space behind the ruck. 2 or 3 times he actually surprised me with his speed of play the ball. I just hope Green says go out and enjoy your footy and let some of the players like Morgs, Hess, GGM find their mojo and gives some more game time to Cotter, Jenson, Molo and Hola. I little of topic... but I really think Granville and Morgs could do with dropping a bit of bulk in the off season. Both have lost that bit of zip of the mark that made them so dangerous. Morgs used to run like Drinkwater, now its more like Michael Speechley! Terry lamb will be lining him up shortly!

Yes, they (Ch 9) were not even paying enough attention to realise it was a 40/20, much less who kicked it. As for the Cows - the Broncos missed 5 tackles all night. Fair play to the Broncos I suppose but that is an indictment on your attack when you break just 5 tackles all night. Payne Haas broke more tackles than the entire Cowboys team. The only silver lining I saw for the Cowboys was Hola's 3 hit ups and Molo looks like he has potential.

Agree 100% with your opening there. I've also included the rule above for those yet to see it. Correct decision.

Having a vigorous debate with a neighbour today Barry and whilst not connected to either team, I agree with the decision based on the NRL's rules and interpretations for 2019. Particularly, the very first sentence of the rule. Whilst the tackle was blatantly missed, Cooper stopped and turned in the line. A few years back we had multiple block runners stopping in there and it drove people crazy. That is why the rule/interpretation was amended. I'd be annoyed if it was my team denied the points yet according to the wording, stopping in the line is obstruction, regardless of whether a defender is affected. I'm not sure if it is a good rule but the referees got it right according to it. The indicators for an obstruction include: 1. (a) ‘Block’* or ‘Flat’ runner[s] (who do not receive the ball) must not stop in the middle of the defensive line (b) ‘Block’ or ‘Flat’ runner[s] (who do not receive the ball) must not run at (chest or outside shoulder of) defender[s] and initiate contact (c) The Referee or Review Officials can determine the significance of contact initiated by the ‘Block’ or ‘Flat’ runner[s] (who does not receive the ball) in impeding a defender’s involvement in a try scoring play 2. Ball Carriers must not run behind an active ‘Block’ or ‘Flat’ runner[s] and disadvantage the defensive line 3. It will be deemed obstruction if the attacking players who run a ‘Sweep’^ line clearly receive the ball on the inside of the ‘Block’ or ‘Flat’ runner[s] 4. Defensive decisions that commit defender[s] to initiating contact with an attacking player(s) will not be deemed obstruction 5. Defensive decisions that commit defender[s] to change their defensive line will not be deemed obstruction.

It was a shocker of a game for sure but I’m a glass half full kinda guy. Clifford showed me a little bit last night. He took the line on a few times and looked really good. The little chip and chase was sweet. This is the first time I can honestly say he showed me he has a little potential. Loved Lodge and TPJ trying to take on JT 13 and getting owned. He is the one Cows player who continually puts his hand up. Just wish we had a couple more guys doing the same . We are a long, long way off the pace this year so like RN I want to see us change it up from now on. We have nothing left to lose.

Coaches asked for black & white interpretation for obstruction, they got it, then when it doesn't suit them they want refs to 'have a feel for the game'. Just another one of those block plays where the coach needs to get right up his own decoy runner, not the officials. Was it just me or was the execution by both sides in this game the equivalent of a wooden spoon battle. Broncos looked untroubled between their 20 & the Cowboys 20 but had absolutely no clue in the Cowboys red zone. I found myself checking if Corey Oates was still on the field at times, such was his lack of involvement. As for the commentatory team, how often did they give Milford credit for Turpin's good kicking including a 40/20? Cowboys looked devoid of running forwards, JT13 excepted, but found themselves in front near the end of the game & obviously didn't know how to ice it. There won't be any quivering in the boots by any of the top contenders.

On the first try I get people not being happy with the call. But in the effort for consistency, I would prefer black and white rules (where possible), and I can live with following the rules and being less than thrilled with the call than subjective rules which will never provide complete agreement. I just think they need to get away from it being called obstruction. Call it blocking or something that takes away the judgement of whether a player may or may not have made a tackle. You have to get the ball on the outside shoulder, and a lead runner can't stop in the defensive line. If you can't meet those two criteria, then no try. The other one... well you know, what do the learned ones say? "let the close ones go" right.....

I didn’t agree with the obstruction call because I think fundamentally someone needs to be obstructed and in my opinion the contact on McCullough doesn’t qualify. However I was stunned the first Cowboys try was allowed. It wasn’t in any way a loose carry, Clifford ripped at the ball like he was trying to start a lawnmower. After he knocked the ball loose it travelled forward into Shibasaky. Knock on one before it pinballed between Wright and Opacic. Knock on two.

Green shouldn't be complaining, he should apologizeing to the fans ! - What's he done with the real Morgan, where is he? - Even when there is nothing to lose we are still boring! - McGuire 3 years... WTF ! The list could continue but I am at work... Come on cows, just give us a bit of footy before the end of the year. One Morgan break, one Hess barge over, a couple of Feldt specials. Please... pretty please, be your best friend, I'm begging ya!

I thought there should have been more controversy around the Cows first try to Wright, where Clifford raked out the ball forward from Shibasaki who tried to grab it back but in doing so deflected it to Wright . Seems the only focus was on whether Wright then deflected it forward onto another player in trying to control the ball, but I would have thought the Clifford rake forward to start with, should have ended the play ? Seems our brainstrust decided it was not a rake , just another of those "poor ball security" instances by Shibasaki ?

They both played like the last two horses in the glue factory.

What an enthralling contest this was right up until the final whistle last night, if only to see which of these bum teams was going to win the game.

What a shock. The winning coach says "nothing to see here" and the losing coach says "it cost us the game (basically)". Why are we asking them about this decision?? Shouldn't the more relevant question be: "Why is your team playing such crap footy??"

Shocking game. Bris has enough ball and field position in opening 30mins to win that game a few times, but couldn’t. Decision in question was at 48min mark, that is far to early to directly impact the result, and law is not if they still had a chance but was their original chance impeded, which it was. I agree with PP and BA no one really deserved the points last night and even as a Broncos supporter I don’t want to ever see that game or highlights (lowlights?) of it again.

I am okay with that decision. I was less okay with the Cowboys first try where the Broncos winger got hit above the shoulders and some angles suggested that Wright didn't recover the ball cleanly. As you say PP, if they had awarded zero competition points for that game, I would have been okay with it. But it will add to the storyline of close contests between the QLD rivals... I just suspect you won't see many highlights from it in the future..

Well lets face it, after the on field performances of both their teams last night, neither of them has any right to make such comments. Both teams were absolutely atrocious an these two have far more to worry about than a refereeing decision.