After a week of barbs about the role the media plays in refereeing decisions, it appears one club has decided a tactically-placed story in the papers is the way to beat Melbourne.
Let me set the scene:
It’s the 79th minute of the grand final, the Storm are down by one and as Brandon Smith charges for the opposition tryline, he is collected high.
Melbourne’s players go up as one, screaming at the ref for a penalty.
But as Gerard Sutton begins bringing the whistle to his lips, he stops.
“I can’t award this penalty – my brother is a part-time consultant for the Storm,” he thinks.
“He’ll obviously get fired if I don’t blow the pea out of this thing – I mean, he only got the job so he could influence my decision-making – but everybody knows Bernie has a gig with Craig Bellamy’s mob.
“If only he’d managed to keep his role at the Storm under wraps, I could have helped him out, blown the penalty and ensured Melbourne win the grand final. But the damn media got a hold of it!
“Sorry Bernie, I can’t risk it. Guess you’ll have to find a different side-hustle for 2022.”
Gerard calls for Smith to get to his feet and play the ball, no penalty is awarded and seconds later, the Storm lose the game.
Apparently, that scenario is considered a possibility, if reports in Monday’s Sydney Morning Herald are on the mark.
“There is unease at some clubs over former referees boss Bernard Sutton’s involvement as a consultant to the Melbourne Storm, considering his brother Gerard is firming as the whistle-blower for the grand final,” Michael Chammas reported.
It’s the second time this issue has come to the fore this season, Bernard having been effectively told to stand down from a similar consulting role with the Queensland side or his brother would be Buckley’s to officiate Origin.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
While Chammas wrote that “the majority of the remaining clubs don’t have an issue with Bernard remaining on the Storm’s books”, some clearly do – as evidenced by it being written about.
As for which clubs take issue with it, you’d have to assume it’s at least one that’s still in the race for the premiership, because who else would care?
Well I’ve got bad news for whichever organisation that succeeded in making an issue of this non-event – and it is a total non-event, because anyone who thinks a professional referee is going to be biased because his brother has a small, part-time, remote-based consultancy with a team in the comp needs their head checked – even if you get Bernard Sutton removed from his role at the Storm, that’s not going to stop this juggernaut.
Over the weekend, we had three games that were in the balance until the final moments, and one which was over before 15 minutes had elapsed.
Melbourne were completely ruthless in their dismemberment of Manly, putting Des Hasler’s men away to the tune of 40-12, with the Storm ahead 16-0 at the 14:50 mark.
It was the 12th time this season Melbourne had put at least 40 points on the scoreboard – that’s almost half their games – and took them past 850 for total points in 2021. And while the Storm’s regular-season points haul of 815 means the 2001 Eels’ 839 remains the most, that Parra team had 26 games to accrue it, compared to the 24 games each side played in 2021.
The really scary part is that the Storm put these numbers up without having been able to pick their first-choice 17 all year, a trend that continued against the Sea Eagles, with Josh Addo-Carr nursing a hamstring injury that kept him from playing.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
And it’s worth reflecting on just who their latest victims were.
Des Hasler’s side were worthy top-four finishers and considered one of two teams that could challenge the Storm in the big games.
Now a week is a long time in rugby league and with injuries and suspensions still able to turn things on its head, you can’t just rule any of the other five teams out of contention. But based on what we saw on Friday night, this iteration of the Manly Sea Eagles don’t have the grunt to beat Bellamy’s boys if they are to meet on the first Sunday of October.
As for the other team that was considered most likely to rain on the Storm’s parade, that’d be their opponents in the 2020 decider.
For most of the season, the common prediction was that we’d be seeing a replay of last year’s grand final. Well, that’s now longer on the cards, with the Panthers’ loss to Souths meaning – if they can get over Parramatta this week – they’ll face Melbourne in the eliminator.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
And while Penrith weren’t humiliated, their 16-10 loss to the Bunnies showed Ivan Cleary’s side may still not quite be the finished product.
Of course, it could be Parra taking on the Storm in a fortnight, which would have the Storm sweating a little, given the Eels won both their encounters this year.
But regardless of who wins the western Sydney derby this weekend, they’ll have played a hard game in hot Mackay, while the Storm will have watched on with their feet up in the air-conditioned comfort of their Sunshine Coast resort.
There are obviously permutations on the other side of the draw to play out as well, particularly with South Sydney showing there may yet be life after Latrell Mitchell.
But with just three weekends of the NRL left in 2021, it is looking increasingly likely that we’ll have back-to-back premiers – and, coming off the back to the Chooks’ 2018-19 double, it’ll in fact be back-to-back back-to-back winners.
Someone could stop the Storm, sure, but it will take something akin to the perfect game of footy.
Certainly something better thought-out than this dastardly plan to stop a team that has Cameron Smith on speed-dial from having an ex-referee give them a few pointers.
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Considering the nepotism displayed when he was referees boss I can't believe anyone is okay with this. Storm don't need him anyway, but it still is a major conflict of interest and stinks
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Do you comprehend written English. ? What I said was. "The Storm win the GF . That’s a given. Doesn’t matter who Refs ( although Klein would be interesting)." The implication of that sentence is the Storm would do WORSE under Klein. It can not be read any other way. Is that an accusation that Klein deliberately takes a set against Melbourne. NO! It's a statement of FACT . The Storm historically have done significantly worse under Klein than other Refs. The sample size is large so it's not an aberration.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Not sure what point you are trying to make sorry
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
NRL need to develop the game at grass roots before you can get players. The difference between their investment and the AFL's is diabolical. Living in NRL heartland, I have, in the past 8 years, seen AFL go from having no recognition at all to having a budding junior competition. AFL development officers visit the schools and promote Auskick with giveaways. Now kids are playing the game and some have already been headhunted for bigger things. This is in a small town of only a few thousand people, more than 1,000km from Brisbane. The NRL only have one small competition running in Melbourne - nothing in regional Victoria at all! There is minimal development, and last time I checked, no significant touch footy competitions (which would be a great no-contact lead in to several key league concepts). THAT is the reason they don't generate players, the club is not responsible. The NRL need to get serious about promoting the game in developing markets, their current effort is a joke.
PeterCtheThird
Guest
So, do you have the balls to say specifically what you imply - that referee Ashley Klein would deliberately cheat to ensure that Melbourne won the Grand Final? And are you willing to identify your real-world self when you do say so - or when you back down because it’s BS?
PeterCtheThird
Guest
To all those on here saying “Can’t have it, it’s a bad look”: Would you be happy if you were denied the chance to ref a GF on these grounds? Should a referee whose grand-daughter plays in an age-group team under the Sunshine Coast Lightning umbrella be ruled out? How about my mother-in-law’s second cousin? Where do you draw the line? Should no referee or other official be allowed to watch any game of league anywhere ever? I would actually enjoy seeing some sensible answers - just, please, no idiot “but Col Pearce” 60-year old anecdotes.
PeterCtheThird
Guest
Your Dad or whoever told you these fairy tales has a lot to answer for.
PeterCtheThird
Guest
I assume you deliberately chose to ignore that the brain-fart comment was about the conspiracy theory, not that you just didn’t notice.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Are Melbourne a 2nd Brisbane team or a 4th Queensland team sent to Victoria to convert the locals to the English game.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Melbourne have become very successful but how are they going in getting kids playing the game? This was where the success was needed but hopefully Melbourne being the best team of the century will inspire Victorians to play a game where they can play for their country.
NorthNarra
Roar Rookie
Yep Joe, fair enough and I know you were going for a conspiracy laugh. Also, as you say, unlikely anyone's going to be one point ahead of the Storm one minute to the hooter in the GF, although as a Manly supporter there's always the lurking fantasy of Turbo and the boys going into rampage mode and handing out another 40-zip GF hiding for Bellamy's troupe. But it did get me thinking about what could go on in a ref's head. Obviously it's got to be a low grade, 60/40-ish in favor of keeping the whistle in the pocket high tackle to get the ref's biases working hard. Like I said, intriguing read. Love to have an ex-whistle blower lift the lid on officiating bias, or, for my mental health and ongoing enjoyment of the game, maybe not.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Anybody thinking there’s even a slight chance of a bias on Gerard’s part doesn’t know the first thing about refereeing and shouldn’t even be listened to, much less taken seriously. That being said, I think the NRL have contradicted themselves with their directive that Bernard cease his consultancy role with Queensland or Gerard misses Origin. If there’s an issue there I can’t see how there’s any less of an issue with the Storm; from the NRL’s point of view I mean.
Muzz
Guest
Unfortunately we have to learn to live with poor refereeing.It's effect on the game is greater under the current rules. Momentum and the way it can shift based on a brain-fart can dictate a games outcome. It's part and parcel.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
In 1969 Souths may have been seen as invincible because they had won in 1967 & 1968 but :- 1. In 67 & 68 the game was four tackles then a scrum if there was no field goal. Scrum penalties were common and often resulted in two points. Col Pearce, a Souths fan, gave penalties to Souths and ignored their infringements. Dick Huddart could not understand how Souths got away with it. 2. In 1969 you may not have noticed that it was a two horse race with Souths finishing on 36, Balmain 34, St.George 28 and Manly 28. Souths beat Balmain 13-12 in the major semi final but Balmain showed they were no pushovers. 3. In 1969 Col Pearce had retired so Souths were on their own and were tackled out of it by the Tigers. For Souths it was no scrum penalties no cry.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
I note none of these media pundits are willing to come out and say " The Sutton brothers are conspiring with Melbourne to fix the grand final, Put up or shut up
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
1. Any refereeing conspiracy would have to come from above and that would be the NRL trying to stop Melbourne from winning again. 2. The first big RC was in 1955, before TV, where Col Pearce refereed the finals games and was the reason for Souths fairy tale run to the premierships. A few years ago Alan Clarkson, the SMH RL writer, admitted that he and Col Pearce would watch Souths together. It was no surprise to Saints fans who had heard from Ken Kearney about the referee. 3. In 1963 Wests, who had beaten Saints three times that year, claim the referee was betting on the game. 4. In 1985 St.George had two wins and a draw with Canterbury so in the GF their two main attacking weapons were taken out with high shots. Graeme Wynn was knocked out by a coward’s punch from behind by Peter Kelly. Kelly wasn’t sent off and wasn’t even penalised. It was in the Jim Comans era so the referee was on orders from the NSWRL (KA & JQ) not to send their mates off. 5. In 1999 St.George-Illawarra had beaten Melbourne three times with a total score of 62-26. With the half time score at 14-2 it looked bad for Melbourne, the great RL experiment. They only wanted to make a game of it to show RL is exciting, unlike the AFL GF the day before. The second half was a momentum change with one team being allowed to lay on the tackler and the other being told to get off or be penalised. Laying on the tackled player became a big feature of the game in the new century. 6. In 1967 & 1968 Col Pearce also refereed Souths giving them lots of scrum penalties. He allowed them to get away with high shots. In the 1968 GF Ron Coote should’ve been sent off for knocking out Bill Bradstreet but Pearce penalised him.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Andy, Andy, Andy. You may well reflect on this in a quieter moment. In any event whatever the club that Melbourne are, they became that a looong time ago old boy. It's not news.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Nadia will give them something …
Joe Frost
Editor
D'you know I actually went into a level of detail in my first draft, making mention of how in Magic Round it totally would have been a penalty but "we're a long way removed from the Suncorp sin-bin-athon". But then I feared a commentator telling me the unnamed, hypothetical tackler "can't just disappear", so I left it up to the imagination.