When did Australia become the authority on how Rugby League should be played? They have rewritten the entire rule book and I can't believe that was a Rugby League match we have just watched tonight, it was indistinguishable at times from what we know as the sport over here.
No wonder Australia won't play GB with a neutral referee, no bloody wonder. The most glarring thing about it was the play the balls. I said last week that in Super League New Zealand would have been penalised off the field, tonight was far, far worse.
There were times in that game tonight where GB regularly went 75 metres in 5 tackles such was the dominance in the forwards. Despite this there were no, count them, no quick play the balls. Why? Because apparantly its now in the rules that the defending side can choose how long they hold down for. Whenever GB made a half break the Australian player who completed the tackle just lay motionless on top of the grounded player until every single one of the defensive line was set, even holding them down whilst they looked around and checked everyone was back. No penalties for this? Not one. Whenever Australia made a half break the GB players were up like a shot, fearing being penalised like they would be in Super League, thus creating more pressure for themselves.
And when did the high tackle rule change from being shots to the head to shots to the shoulder being penalised? Cunningham's hit in front of the post hit the guys arm, then shoulder and was penalised. Fitzgibbon didn't get any tackle tonight below the nose, and did more head locks than Hulk Hogan managed in his career. No penalties? Not one. The passage of play where one of the GB backs span out of three high shots in a row, then was elbowed on the floor was absolutely farcical. Mander didn't even blink.
Standing square at the play the ball too. Is this rule not applied in the NRL? Australia played tonight with two markers side by side, and a sweeper 5 yards back from that. Despite this when Cunningham or Higham exposed this by running at them for the clearest of penalties in the world, Mander allowed them to complete the tackle without penalising them?
Fair play to Australia for coming through in the end. The dominance of the pack by GB was worked around through some true brilliance in the halves and three quarters. For GB I thought our front row was immense tonight. Fielden was easily the best prop on show, Morley and Thackray supported him well. Peacock ran hard and Cunningham played well again, after coming back from his mistake with the interception.
It was the halves that cost GB again. How many times did we get to 10 yards from the Aussie line, only to sit there for 5 tackles without anything like a dangerous pass or run from the half backs. Again tonight only Cunningham had the ability to create a try, Harris was alright but Deacon was appalling again. They are international half backs who do not possess the ability to pass someone into a gap or go through themselves.
No problems with the result as we are clearly a step behind still. But the authorities need to sit down before the Super League and NRL kick off again and iron out how the game should be refereed. This should then be applied consistently in both competitions, as at the moment they are worlds apart in key areas.
If GB could find a fullback and two half backs by next year we could be competitive.
