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Joined March 2018
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The referees boss Bernard Sutton has come out and stated that this is a try, defining a drop kick as “intentionally released from the hands, and then kicked immediately as it rebounds from the ground”.
You can see from the front on angle that the ball hits the ground twice before he kicks it, which would hardly meet the definition of immediate in my opinion. The ball lands on one end, bounces to the other end, and then he kicks it as it is rising.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/04/20/referees-boss-explains-slater-drop-kick-try/
http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/melbourne-storm/watch-storm-fullback-billy-slater-awarded-controversial-dropkick-try/news-story/20c15ab2ff8148fb581650ab403714ee
Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm: NRL live scores, blog
Yeah, but the rules also state for a knock-on:
” If, after knocking-on accidentally, the player knocking-on regains or kicks the ball before it touches the ground, a goal post, cross bar or an opponent, then play shall be allowed to proceed. Otherwise play shall stop and a scrum shall be formed except after the fifth play-the-ball.”
Slater dropped the ball forward (in an attempt to kick the ball, which is where this gets grey), but doesn’t kick the ball before it touches the ground. So, it should be a knock-on. He most certainly didn’t have control of the ball. It even looks like the ball bounced twice before his “drop kick”.
In any case, the try was awarded, the Broncos capitulated, and we have our outrage topic for this week to be discussed ad nauseam.
Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm: NRL live scores, blog
Mary, your character assassination of Sam Thaiday is quite disappointing. This is a guy who is well loved by the public and the fans, gives a lot to the community and charity, and has a growing presence in the media. You might even have to work with him very soon.
I suggest you go back and read his Instagram post following his failure to be selected for the 24 man Kangaroos squad. Nowhere did he suggest that he was entitled to the representative jerseys, nor did he blame the coaches or people around him. He expressed disappointment that he was forced to find out about his axing from the squad through a leaked report in the media, and not directly from Mal Meninga and the coaching staff. Meninga offered a heartfelt apology for the oversight and lack of respect that was shown.
Has Wayne Bennett lost his aura?
Great article Tom, and agree with all your points. As an Australian in New York, I really enjoy what they’ve done with food options in the majority of stadiums here. Along with the typical stadium fare, chefs provide gourmet fast food options that make the whole stadium experience just that little bit different, and even attracts foodie fans who want to have that burger they can’t have anywhere else. The same thing is happening in NYC airports. In saying that, I am quite partial to a quarter chicken and chips from the Red Rooster in Suncorp Stadium.
If the NRL build it, will they come?
That’s not true about the World Cup officiating. In the pool rounds, Cam Smith and Mal Meninga were blowing up about the refereeing being completely over the top. There were 21 penalties in the match against Lebanon, which was the most Smith had seen in a game of rugby league (well until this season anyway). Then there was all the controversy over the non-use of the Bunker in the Tonga-England semi-final. But sure, let’s go with the myth that one referee means no mistakes and a free-flowing game of football.
The referees are being quite pedantic at the moment, but that’s exactly what the Talking Heads like Gould, Fittler, Johns, etc. were asking for last season, and was the overwhelming sentiment of the fans on these forums. We asked for the referees to apply the rules. We were sick of players stepping off the mark, of rolling the ball on their knees instead of playing it with their foot, of markers being offside at the ruck. We got exactly what we wanted.
Last year, we kept saying that referees aren’t actually applying the rules anymore. They are just “game managers”, was the popular outcry. Paul Kent in September last year: ““You’re 100 per cent right, get rid of this game management system. It’s absolute crap; become officials again and just show some balls.” I look forward to Kent drumming up controversy this week about the referees now showing some balls and using their whistle to officiate the rules of the game.
Wests Tigers vs Brisbane Broncos: NRL live scores, blog
A drop kick isn’t a knock-on because you are intentionally going for a drop kick by kicking it as it rebounds off the ground. It’s very different to dropping the ball, and then kicking it.
Most referees in rugby union or rugby league, would have said “knock-on, no control”. Instead, we are left scratching our heads and discussing grey areas in the rule book, instead of applauding a pretty good game of footy.
Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm: NRL live scores, blog