RLWC Daily: Cleary to achieve Old Trafford 'dream', Paulo sweats on Final, Kiwis take aim at 'disrespectful' organisers

No one between Penrith and Paris would accuse Isiah Yeo or Dylan Edwards of arrogance. Those two are hectic sick. And Cleary? Nah he ain't arrogant. Great footy player who will only improve which is scary Although you must be jealous of our 2023 halves combo, Clune and Gamble. That reeks of points. Well it reeks of something

There was a lot there Vinson, but caught my eye, the stat about teams winning by plenty but losing the 6-agains. Dominating teams in attack should easily win the penalty count. It does ring true with Penrith. Dominating possession and territory, you would expect they clearly win the penalty count almost every game, but they somehow don't. I'm sure I've also read articles that indicated TV broadcasters (pay thru the nose & free to air -once you have paid for electric current) were having issues with flagging ratings when the game is judged by viewers as over with 20m to go, and switch off in big numbers. I've often heard refs use words such as spectacle, experience, and fan satisfaction when describing the game as some kind of product, or entertainment choice. I don't think you need to be viewed by others as a flat Earther. How Cowboys were ever a chance of levelling up, and then kicking clear of the Tigers that day, goes down in footy fiction folklore.

They get rewarded by appointments to major matches

Disgraceful refereeing Mr Sutton. You always favour the side the organizers want to win. Every single 50/50 went England's way, plus you managed to invent a few fanciful calls to give England a leg up. Hope a pommy ref gets the final.

Cheers Mike,

:laughing:

Malcolm Knox Sydney Morning herald (15-16/9/18) – amazingly not in the archives! "In this years (NRL) annual report, expect the NRL to again credit this result (good TV ratings) to the closeness of the competition. The NRL's statistical tightness last year - 35% of games decided y six or fewer points, an average margin of 13 points - was mentioned so copiously in the 2017 report you wonder what the NRL's main employees, the referees, think of it. A perverse incentive to square up penalty counts and manufacture tight finishes? This is denied, with referees said to favour wider margins. Blowouts take the heat off officials because nobody can say the result came down to the one decision. I would have hoped referees would not favour any pattern of margins and just call each decision the way they see it but anyhoo." 2020 NRLs Rules & Interpretations policy document Annesley's own cover letter confirms that the role of NRL referees is not simply to be neutral arbiters of the game: Telstra Premiership match officials have a responsibility to contribute to the game as a spectacle for the benefit of all stakeholders…. This carries enormous responsibility and public scrutiny. Match officials are not only required to adjudicate on the laws of the game, they must also ensure each participating team is provided with equal opportunity to determine the outcome by finding the right balance between enforcement of the rules, and contributing to the game as a spectacle without unwarranted intervention. https://www.nrl.com/siteassets/operations/documentation/nrl_laws_interpretat ions_2020.pdf OR Roy Masters in SMH and many other Masters articles (for which he was never sued) https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/the-data-that-shows-six-agains-being-used-to-even-up-nrl-games-20210818-p58jru.html The data that shows six-agains being used to even up NRL games Roy Masters By Roy Masters August 18, 2021 - 12.30pm "Fans have long suspected referee's decisions favour losing teams, while coaches are convinced of it. Now, it's official: the NRL's own data demonstrates that in 2021 no club has won a six-again count when leading by 19 points or more in a match." etc (1) Originally titled in hardcopy = Referees close on game choreography – Roy Masters but changed in the archive (9/6/2020) https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/referees-becoming-more-influential-and-less-accountable-20200609-p550vb.html (2) http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-referees-are-having-too-much-influence-on-games-20170811-gxu53i.html NRL referees are having too much influence on games Roy Masters Published: August 12 2017 - 6:00PM The practice of referees assuming the role of choreographers, or puppetmasters, is the worst it has ever been in the NRL. This is not to say referees are cheats. Having witnessed some of the biased and blatant decision-making of the centre men of the 1970s and '80s, today's whistleblowers are inherently fair. They are decent, fit, highly knowledgeable people, dedicated to the game. Perhaps too dedicated. Their weakness is a subconscious need to be party to an even contest, to avert blow-outs. They seem to believe they have an obligation to the NRL to present a thrilling TV product, or a close result for spectators. This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-referees-are-having-too-much-influence-on-games-20170811-gxu53i.html They are not a neglected population in the NRL where coaches still await the weekly news of who has been appointed to their games. Coaches of the top teams fear the "referees as choreographers", the ones who believe it is their responsibility to even up the penalties, making the match a close contest to entertain the fans. These are the movie stars of the trade, the ones who like to be the centre of attention, even if there are already four centres on the field. Given that peptides burn fat and produce a tanned effect on the skin, the Hollywood-type referees would be particularly vulnerable to their use. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/why-not-drug-test-nrl-referees-20130530-2nduo.html#ixzz2V2pwSPqD Billy's low-penalty diet has players tightening their belts Date March 23, 2011 • (0) • Comments 8 Billy Harrigan was a low-penalty-count ref whose few blasts of the whistle were often directed at teams threatening to run away with the match. The result was a low-stoppage, high-energy, end-to-end game that was often not decided until the final minutes. Billy helped make State of Origin a valuable, visual product, and if he gets his way, the NRL will be the same. Fox pundits' ignorance just isn't bliss for code's tragics Date March 10 2012 Roy Masters March 10 2012 " Their intensity was reflected in the close finishes and seven away teams prevailing. The administrators responsible for the scheduling also rose to the occasion, as did the match officials, apart from one major error in the Wests Tigers-Cronulla game. Dramatic licence: whistleblowers in danger of playing to script to ensure theatrical finale Date August 7, 2012 • (1) • Read later Roy Masters Hear no evil … referee Steve Lyons missed the content of Jarryd Hayne's spray. Photo: Getty Images Referees risk becoming choreographers, directing the course of NRL games to produce dramatic results. Canterbury's Des Hasler, who was fined for Saturday's comments, is not the only coach entitled to feel aggrieved by referees seemingly making decisions that bring the underdog back into the game. The impact of referees on results has reached a point where coaches, who have little contact with each other beyond a cursory handshake on match day, are leaving text messages after viewing a match involving a rival. One said: ''Mate, I've just watched your game. I'm flabbergasted. It was the best gee-up I've seen.'' Allowing for the hyperbole usually associated with such observations, we have to remember some of these coaches have been in the business over 20 years, and have seen some big stings. Hasler was more direct, stating after the Bulldogs' 26-10 victory over Newcastle on Saturday: ''The referees are talking amongst themselves saying, 'This game is going to change, this game is going to change, this game is going to change,' and we get a run of four penalties against us … why do they have to pre-empt?'' The choreographers were also busy at the Storm's home game against Penrith the same day. With Melbourne building a big half-time lead, the referees gave the visitors every opportunity to make the game a closer contest.

BTW can you explain lack of neutral ref for Aussie semis game when there were 2 very close games by 2 usual NRL suspects

Its a standard organizing situation so media beatup in off season...

Roy masters has written many columns about it (never been sued) , Warren Ryan has been quoted saying it on TV, Malcolm Knox wrote about it in SMH column and column was removed from archives. In the 2020 ref interpretations manual it states that the rules must be observed but refs could consider all stakeholders in the game ( when I raised thesee pages before diehard RL heads were surprised and shocked) which may include TV who need close games to keep the closet supporters watching while diehards like you will watch anyway. I would seek views other than RL Central employees diverting from the evidence of the game or are who are too too brain addled form playing too long. If you replay I may be bothered to rehash the evidence

Auckland? :laughing:

With the pre booked flight the Kiwi's should be landing in Auckland soon, Giving them an extra week at home with family and friends before preseason training starts.

That's a great post Jenny. It really shows how Cleary is an influential player. So much is expected of him.

It's amazing noone has thought of that. Equally, it's amazing noone has thought of a 3rd place play-off as an undercard game on Grand Final day.

Go Australia Rugby League Team ,You will Beat England in the World Cup GO,GO AUSSIE?

Don’t know what his problem is - the organisers were right!

Yep awesome, and his answer was rubbish that just showed he’s a man child who has no respect for the people organising the tournament. I don’t think it was aggressive disrespect more complete disregard for the little things that everyone looks after for him 24/7.

Buffalo, the arrogance was a Panthers thing, or so we thought, but people have carried it on outside of the black jersey, so obviously it's more personal. To answer your question, it would be any Panther rep player.

Who? Samoa?

Great idea, Noodles. That would be a cracker of a game with loads of intensity. Not sure the clubs paying their salaries would be too happy but meh to them