Gerard Sutton demoted to Titans v Warriors clash

[big hit!]

There doesn't seem to be a brain between any of the NRL/referee management. It's no surprise the game finds itself where it is. Communication and co-ordinating skills both are below par for what you'd expect of a national organisation. How could any idiot, let alone senior official, call a game within its competition a demotion? A demotion is not seeing Sutton ref any NRL match this weekend.

 

[carcharias]

I don't know what "they" are saying, but what I am saying is that yes, the ref incorrectly raised his flag indicating a player had gone into touch. I am of the opinion that he did this as a reaction to thinking he saw a knock on.

This was clearly an incorrect decision, as firstly its debatable that it was a knock on, but mostly raising your flag is only to be used to indicate the ball or a players going into touch.

Despite it being clearly incorrect, the signal was still made. With the signal made, the ref must stop play as per Section 16.10

Once play is stopped, the ref would consult with the touch judge who would explain he raised his flag in error, and the ref would then rule play to restart with a scrum to the sharks.

The funny thing is that even if all of the above had gone down like it should, the likelihood is the blow up today would still be happening by much of the media since it was still a silly error by the touchy judge. The NRL would at least have been justified in the punishment they've winded up dishing out though.

Of course that is exactly what happened.

The ref knew he was nowhere near the sideline and that’s why he didn’t blow the whistle.
TJ can’t rule on a knock on.

 

[Danish]

Of course that is exactly what happened.

The ref knew he was nowhere near the sideline and that’s why he didn’t blow the whistle.
TJ can’t rule on a knock on.

I agree, but the flag up means play must be stopped regardless. Same thing as if the ref blew his whistle or called held by mistake. Can't just play on from that.

 

[carcharias]

I agree, but the flag up means play must be stopped regardless. Same thing as if the ref blew his whistle or called held by mistake. Can't just play on from that.

Next time he will just to save his own arse.

 

[Danish]

Next time he will just to save his own arse.

By making the correct decision? I'd hope so.


Although there is no reason why he would have to, as his brother will just hit him with a lettuce leaf again

 

[carcharias]

By making the correct decision? I'd hope so.


Although there is no reason why he would have to, as his brother will just hit him with a lettuce leaf again

I’m glad he used common sense

 

[Springs09]

Of course that is exactly what happened.

The ref knew he was nowhere near the sideline and that’s why he didn’t blow the whistle.
TJ can’t rule on a knock on.

They can only signal a knock on, which is supposed to be done by either standing still or walking backwards and signalling the knock on motion.

The flag can be used for more than just the touch line. If the referee has missed a penalty, most often foul play, then the touchie can raise his flag and come on to the field. We don't seem to see that anymore with the 2 referee system in the NRL but it is still in use in all other levels of the game.

The touch judge was wrong in raising his flag, but Sutton was also wrong as a touch judge raising the flag means it should be stopped, as the flag in that situation should either mean the ball has gone out or foul play occurred. The Raiders players also erred in not playing on. They've been told from U7s that you play to the whistle. You don't give a shit if the touchies flag is up, that signal is for the ref, you play on until you hear the whistle.

 

[Perth Red]

Why can’t the tj advise on a knock on? Surely if they see something in play they can draw it to attention of ref by raising flag? I remember when they used to raise flag and run on pitch waving madly before days of headsets!

 

[Miller was a legend]

Why can’t the tj advise on a knock on? Surely if they see something in play they can draw it to attention of ref by raising flag? I remember when they used to raise flag and run on pitch waving madly before days of headsets!

Not his job. He might make a mistake and put his flag up

 

[carcharias]

Why can’t the tj advise on a knock on? Surely if they see something in play they can draw it to attention of ref by raising flag? I remember when they used to raise flag and run on pitch waving madly before days of headsets!

Because he is the touch judge
He judges touch

Der

 

[Danish]

I’m glad he used common sense

It’s not common sense to allow a team that is playing to the official’s signal to be disadvantaged.

Common sense says that once you signal something, you have to stop.

 

[Dav0c]

Whether they should or not is irrelevant, its how it works, that's why there was soo much scrutiny over the origin appointments. Before last Friday Sutton was considered the number 1 referee, so in reality you are getting the no1 referee for your game. I just don't see the issue. It is more of a slight on the Titans than the Warriors imo.

Nah, disagree.

 

[Danish]

Why can’t the tj advise on a knock on? Surely if they see something in play they can draw it to attention of ref by raising flag? I remember when they used to raise flag and run on pitch waving madly before days of headsets!

They can advise on anything.

But they are only allowed to raise their flag in the manner in which that touchie did to signal going into touch.

The alternative has been mentioned also that they can wave their flag about to signal foul play, although generally they are still only supposed to do that when they want to enter be field, which should be at a break in play or at least once a tackle is complete

 

[carcharias]

It’s not common sense to allow a team that is playing to the official’s signal to be disadvantaged.

Common sense says that once you signal something, you have to stop.

We weren’t disadvantaged
We played on

 

[Springs09]

Why can’t the tj advise on a knock on? Surely if they see something in play they can draw it to attention of ref by raising flag? I remember when they used to raise flag and run on pitch waving madly before days of headsets!

As I said, they can call a knock on, but not with the flag. When they came on the pitch with the flag up it was usually for foul play.

The reason being is because a flag up distracts the players, like it did on the weekend. Even when signalling a forward pass, we are told to do it with our non-flag hand.

 

[Diesel]

I agree
I wish

Watch tonight
I bet my balls the Sharks will be the ones to pay for last week.
We will get hammered by the ref.
First set of 6 - penalty to Broncos
That’ll carry on all game.

We’ll get the “No team has ever won the premiership after conceding 50pts in a regular season match” thread ready for 9:40pm.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

like it or not this is the lowest profile game, it will be the least watched game this round. So it is a demotion for someone apparently considered this years no.1 referee. Not sure why Warriors fans are already whinging as if hes cost them the game before it's even started. Hes no more an advantage or disadvantage to the warriors than any other ref.

Not the Cows v Knights, neither of whom can make the finals? Or the game later that Friday night between two sides who also aren't in the 8?

I dunno why you think 'least watched' is relevant. They don't appoint referees based upon the crowd figures, last I checked.

It's only a demotion if he was in charge of the Roosters Dragons game. All the rest of them are like the Titans Warriors that they include one finals-bound team and one who isn't, or they feature two non-8 sides as I said above. And even if he was in charge of the Roosters Dragons game, you have to be a one hell of an imbecile, I mean work for the NRL, to think calling our match a lower-profile one is anything but unprofessional and offensive to the highest degree.

We're not whinging that he's cost us the game. We're saying it's a slap in the face to be labelled a lower-profile match when we're about to make finals for the first time in 7 years. We'll get over it. It's just pathetic how the NRL have done this - again.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I haven't really seen a lot of Warriors fans whinging about Sutton's appointment or projecting dread over how he will officiate the game. Warriors fans seem to be more rightly pissed at the slight of their match being considered a demotion and this being stated publicly. Not sure what's hard to understand about that.

Exactly. I don't even know what sort of ref Sutton is, I don't pay any attention to who's in charge. I'm sure he'll be fine. It's not only a slap in the face for the two teams but it places undue pressure on Sutton, who now if he makes a major error that costs one side the whole 'lower-profile' thing is going to blow up in his face.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

#warriorsgamesmatter

 

[Eion]

Who are the warriors playing next week? I’ve got a couple of refs for them.