'Should have warranted a penalty': NRL admits crucial error in Eels loss - but digs in on other calls

I'm little confused . There were two Moses ' incidents '. When he was pulled back by Luai . This wasn't picked up by the Ref or more appropriately the touchie and could not be picked up by the bunker as it was general play and was not a reportable offence. The other one where Moses made contact with the decoy runner, was reviewed by the bunker because Penrith scored a try. If we get the bunker ruling routinely in general play , the game will be unwatchable. The bunker altrady stuffs up more than it fixes.

:laughing:

An electric shock collar would be handy. Every time a trainer is on the field for no good reason. I’ll happily operate the button.

It was a bunker call on JFH because he played hurt. In the run of play it wasn’t a penalty because it was deemed okay by the official in the action. I thought you hated the bunker over rule particularly in general play? Moses’s was a bunker review confirmation for obstruction in the play I thought? That suggests the ref had a suspicion there was interference which wasn’t legal? then the bunker confirmed it had breached the obstruction rules. Personally I know Moses played the rule book. Personally I know the rule book doesn’t say a decoy in front of the ball has free passage through the line. It actually says you can’t obstruct a defender ( your obligation is to avoid contact with defensive players).

The inside, outside shoulder rule is very misconstrued in its interpretations. What shoulder did Welsh run into Papalii with facing his own goal line? They make it up and change it regularly. My call is play on big fella the bloke you ran into didn’t charge out of the line to whack you, you charged into his defensive line and were a threat if you received the pass going through the line. A penalty was ridiculous because you are setting a precedent decoys have right away changing into the line and defenders can’t put their bodies in front of them. This affects how defenders play and this was not the time or place to be telling defenders to be soft and jump out of the way of opposition forwards. Good lord he rattled his ribs at worse and the official is making an opinion call in an incredibly tight contest IMO. Most of the fans rejoiced in both teams defensive attitude. Sorry Jimmmy I think you might have seen the Cowboys stepping around decoys way to often. I’d be annoyed if they awarded a penalty for that on review just because he acted hurt but then complete ignored Moses being held back and taken out from behind trying to support a line break.

"Can anyone ever remember the last time a touch judge came onto the ground to report an issue" I think that was Phil Gould filling in for a touchie that did a hammy, and then he only did it to "support the other touch judge" (i.e. get his ugly mug on the big screen).

Rob, I think you are confusing what is with what we would like it to be. Take the Mitch Moses deliberate contact on the lead runner that lead to the Penrith try being disallowed. Moses moved sideways AND backwards, to initiate contact. He was not interested in trying to follow the ball. He made contact , did the Swan Lake dive and the try was disalowed. It's a terrible look but I'm OK with it because he has the right to move out without even the slightest interference. Its not Gridiron. They way they rule ( almost always ) is an outside shouider contact is a penalty.. I agree with them, Phil Gouid doesn't. The Niukore one is usually ruled different . Niukore turns in . Initiates contact on someone with his inside shoulder. He could have pulled out if the tackle fairly easily. They call that a bad read. You can argue they SHOULDNT rule that way but they do and have done so for a long while. It was then called tackled without the ball. The put on report bit was BS of course but the penalty was fine.

Rubbish he’s charging into the line and the defender is entitled to get his body in a position to stop him. You just stated he ran a great outside in line so don’t you think Niukore is adjusting? You’re the first person to whinge about decoys in front of the ball need to avoid the contact. You never stop criticising Hess running that line and being in trouble? JFH was in all sorts after the hit? Funny he was able to bash into them very quickly after? He played it up for he could IMO. I’ll be consistent and say if you’re in front of the ball avoid contact. If you’re a defender you have no obligation to step around decoys especially players charging full pelt into your defensive line. If. the Cowboys stopped stepping or moving out of a decoys way they would probably have stopped 40% of tries especially on the edges.

It’s funny how the bunker intervened on late tackles all year. They were going back almost a full set and giving penalties at one point. Honestly it was obvious. Amazingly the blocking in Origin was a highlight of the game Feldt blocking JAC but not the blokes standing beside the ruck or halfbacks running behind players to get shepherded when kicking. Suppose it hard to watch the around where the ball is? Another thing is grabbing a support players from behind on a break is as deliberate a professional as you can get? Not a try scoring opportunity? Where would Moses have been when the ball bounced and Burton turned and dived on it? He would have probably been picking it up on the run before him and heading over the try line IMO. WTF is wrong with theses officials and Annesley excuse is daft as well.

I actually think the Luai one was a bit meh. I mean a penalty, probably, but I don't think Moses was really going to be in a position to compete for the ball. To me the slightly more problematic ones were the Cleary tackle and hold on Gutho when he made a break in the last 10 or so minutes and a similar one by Luai earlier on. The Cleary tackle one was surely a penalty and sin bin (they called 6 again). Sure it was 50 odd metres out, but it had been a clean break and the entire Panthers team were offside at the time...

Stop the F@&KING game!!

My simplistic solution would be anytime a trainer asks for play to be stopped, if the opposition have the ball it is an automatic 6-again.

First one happens a lot. If you reverse penalties like that then players will just rub their neck for longer. It won't change anything. Very, very difficult issue. The second one is easier but still murky. The player was injured , he did go off, the trainer had the rights stop play and the Ref could not refuse it. The only real criticism is that he didn't assess the player first. In fact he didn't even get to him. From that perspective the trainer should be heavily sanctioned. But it doesn't solve the underlying issue of gaming the system. I think the whole issue needs a big, big , rethink. Its completely broken. ,

Yeah of course it's debatable. I think a penalty was the right call but I can live with the alternative of ' nah he couldn't do anything else'. It wasnt blatantly obvious what the right call was. RL is a game of a million laws that require judgement. If its not a howler, really it's not worth any indignation. Sure, discussing it is fine but those that roar ' THATS NOT a PENALTY' really don't understand the game much qt all.

I understand your point but think its 50/50 and I think the onus should be on JFH to make an effort to avoid the defender. Niukore turns in preparing to tackle him if he has the ball. When he comes through as a decoy, Niukore backs off slightly and I didn't think he went through with cleaning him up and definitely didn't deserve being put on report and gifting the Panthers prop a free couple of interchanges.

I think (could be wrong) that they have changed that rule. The bunker is not limited to when they can advise the on field ref. Case in point, the famous downtown penalty. It was not the on field officials that picked it up but on the advice of the bunker. I wouldn't get rid of them completely but bring back the specific situations where they can rule or make it strictly on the request of the on field referee.

Look at it closely. JFH runs a great outside in line into the gap. NNiukore turns in . It's a classic sign he is lining up JFH. He makes contact . Penalty all day. Great decision.

It has to be a reportable offence. You think Luai goes on report??????

I was thinking more the potential taking out of penisini...

But they are not there to ' pick up what the Ref misses' . They have a very specific job and picking up Ref mistakes in general play is not one of them. Me, I would get rid of them altogether ,