Paul Kent slams Gerard Sutton for not sin-binning Cameron Smith for ref bake

If Suttons apparent efforts to manage the Pennies back in the game resulted in a Pennies win what would be the reaction to Bellamy agreeing with his captain after the game? He'd be ripped to shreds I suggest for being a delusional sore loser but why is it so?

If the Panthers had won anyone who claimed the ref had any role in the win, would be howled down on the Roar in the past, but now nobody is denying that the ref, not only had a say, but that it was deliberate as well? That's a big turn around.

The counter view is that a player had the courage to make a stand, against one of the worst scourges of the modern game. Game management by referees has been out of control for years, and we all know it. Anyone who watches rugby league semi regularly gets the sense of when a referee is going to blow a penalty to help out the side that is losing. Smith just stated the truth of what was happening. No one in this comment section has even denied that what Smith was saying was inaccurate. It’s not like he was complaining that the referee was being unfair because he was biased against Melbourne, or that he was trying to make Penrith win. Smith wasn’t even blowing up about an ordinary human error that is a natural part of the game. He was making a legitimate complaint about rectifiable behaviour by the referee that is against the spirit of the game, and everyone gates. He deserves credit for calling it out.

True.

For what he said it was a sin bin offence. I can't recall at what time of the match ( same time as Hughes binning) ??. Sutton at that stage really didn't have a clue be and it probably went through his mind but if he had Penrith might have got home . On that performance I doubt if he will get another GF but his brother thinks he's good. For a match of that importance there should have been 2 refs. God knows we had enough doing nothing.

The examination would be damming GH. I agree. But you don't accuse the ref of cheating. He had to go.

A very bad precedent has been set here, now every captain who feels that his team has been unjustly penalised can happily go up to the referee in a game and TELL THE REF to " “Stop trying to pick little things out of our game to make an exciting finish" How outrageous? I can't believe anyone would think this is ok.

Like Kent or not, like Smith or not, the ref should have sin binned C.Smith for those comments, that would be the last time any player pulls that again. For those who cry that would be 3 bins, well so be it, they are the rules, surely if Sutton did not bin a player because he's already binned 2 before then that IS game management. In this case, I agree with Kent, and as the great Bill Harrigan said he would have done binned Smith, that is why Harrigan still garners the respect of many players, fans and officials to this day.

not really, you accuse the ref of cheating (right or wrong) you should go. not a good precedent to allow it.

Kent and his cronies overdo their dislike for all things Melbourne. I don't know how tall Kent is but he definitely has a case of LFS, (Little Fella Syndrome.)

Billy Harrigan wouldn't have stood for it . In match Parramatta v Newcastle he got rid of 3 Parramatta guys in about a minute and Brian Smith was having a heart attack.

It looks as though Kent has become a no go zone with player's and coaches and he has nobody to speak with. His attitude reeks of a man spurned .

Then there would be a forensic examination of your game management leading up to that point. And that examination would be damning. The lead up to every big game you officiate would be dominated by discussion of your game management. Every call during the game would be viewed through the lens of your game management and commentary and social media would reflect that. Better to just let Smith have his whinge and ignore him.

I'd have binned him. I have zero tolerance for ref dissent.

Kent and Hooper's Smith Derangement Syndrome is getting to the point where they are losing any credibility they had. Hooper saying the column with the 25 reasons was just banter, please, he was paid for it and it was published in the paper. If it was banter why mention Smith's wife. You often hear Smith wouldn't have lasted in earlier eras as he would have been sorted out. That could be applied to some of the current journalists as well.

If you play the ball and not the man on this issue, surely you can grasp where he's coming from. The onfield captain unambiguously accusing the referee of unfair refereeing , media asks why referee unflinchingly accepts it..media whipped for asking questions.

CS: You’re sending off our players for nothing. Sutton: You’re off Wouldn’t that have gone down well. Simply couldn’t have happened. The ultimate power move by Smith. Love him or hate, you’ve got to admire him.

So buggerlugs Kent wanted the last 10 to be Storm 10 players and the Panthers 15, what a joke as that is how it ended up!

That would have just drawn more attention to the fact that the referee absolutely was managing the game to draw the score lines closer.

I’ve honestly liked Paul Kent fir most of his career I think he has a good understanding of the game and mostly has the games best interest at heart I still enjoy listening to him on Triple M But his behaviour has been getting worse and the anti-Storm, anti-Smith stuff all week was embarrassingly bad It annoys me when Sydney people are portrayed as one eyed, Sydney centric, boofheads...but when you get blokes like this leading the charge it’s not hard to see why that stereotype exists