I seriously believe the game could reach the same level of farce as la tour de france

[Kid Dynamite]

In the tour de france you watch not knowing whether the winner of the race is actually legitimate. It appears theres a reasonable chance that not just the race winner, but each stage winner could have recieved help from steroids. This level of uncertainty makes the tour a farce and almost unwatchable.

Now we saw in last years grand final that awful reffering went close to costing the storm the grand final. I think that Brisbane were just the better team and deserved to win, but still it was a horrible outcome for the game. This year is shaping up the same way. The reffereeing this weekend has been awful just abymal as it has all year. I think if we get a close grand final which is a fair chance, then theres also a very good chance that bad decisions will cost one team the game. Lets take that one step further and say it happens the year after to which I believe is quite possible. Wouldn't we then be faced with a situation where the premiership is such that teams endure 26 rounds and 4 weeks of finals to arrive at a point where there is strong possibility the best team won't prevail. I mean factor in how many teams will be robbed of even getting to the grand final due to poor reffing.

The question is then how much more do we have to see where people go ok, this is now totally and utterly ridiculous and stop watching and we lose faith in the whole game. For mine as I said above it would only take a bad grand final this year and then another the year after and we'd be in the "well will the best team actually win" zone. For mine we're pretty well there. Why the NRL isn't doing more well I have no answers. They truly are an absolute joke. Where are the crisis meetings, the radical propositions to improve the standard of the refs? There aren't any. We are just heading for a massive crisis.

 

[innsaneink]

No different than ever before imo.....only with the video ref we see many many more poor decisions.

Before the VR, you spotted a poor call, everyone at the ground did bar the ref, but he made his decision, 50% of the crowd had a bitch for 5 seconds and then we carried on.

Worst thing to happen to the game - VR....along with more and more decisions for the ref becoming ''an opinion''.

 

[kia ora storm]

After today's performance at Olympic Park...it would be no surprise to see the GF this year bear the same result as last year...won on the whistle of the ref.

 

[Kid Dynamite]

along with more and more decisions for the ref becoming ''an opinion''.

This is 100% right. It galls me that they aren't thinking radically to try and address this and make it easier for refs. I think last year they changed one rule in the off season and that was the crap obstruction thing that made the game worse. DO SOMETHING NRL!

 

[Kid Dynamite]

After today's performance at Olympic Park...it would be no surprise to see the GF this year bear the same result as last year...won on the whistle of the ref.

How would you feel as a Storm fan if this actually happens to your team again? In my mind you'd have grounds for suing the NRL. Obviously you couldn't but wouldn't you like to? Just would like to see Robert Finch financially accountable for his decisions and liable for what he says when he defends referees.

 

[gunnamatta bay]

Comparing our game to the tour de france is ridiculous.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

After today's performance at Olympic Park...it would be no surprise to see the GF this year bear the same result as last year...won on the whistle of the ref.

you weren't complaining in 1999

 

[jimmythehand]

challenge system

 

[LeagueLegend]

Comparing our game to the tour de france is ridiculous.

You're right there!!

I looked at this thread thinking it was going to offer something, sad fact is we have all been down this p[ath m,any times before and will continue to go down it again and again.

What is the "real" problem here? The fact that referees are human and are susceptable to mistakes or the fact that we view the game with all the available technology making every couch potato a better referee than the guy in the middle.

Mistakes are made in any sport which requires human intervention to uphold the laws of the game.

One of the things that I like about the game of Rugby League is that you know the game goes for 2 x 40 minutes halves - barring injury (and know video ref decisions).

Show me any one who has never made a mistake in anything they do and I'll employ them on the spot. FACT is humans make mistakes, referees make mistakes bacuse they are human.

 

[gunnamatta bay]

I think Graham Lowe knows what a great game we have got:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=342&objectid=10456801

 

[green eyed mike]

You're right there!!

I looked at this thread thinking it was going to offer something, sad fact is we have all been down this p[ath m,any times before and will continue to go down it again and again.

What is the "real" problem here? The fact that referees are human and are susceptable to mistakes or the fact that we view the game with all the available technology making every couch potato a better referee than the guy in the middle.

Mistakes are made in any sport which requires human intervention to uphold the laws of the game.

One of the things that I like about the game of Rugby League is that you know the game goes for 2 x 40 minutes halves - barring injury (and know video ref decisions).

Show me any one who has never made a mistake in anything they do and I'll employ them on the spot. FACT is humans make mistakes, referees make mistakes bacuse they are human.

Sure the refs are human and they make mistakes but when they feature as prominantly as they do in the NRL there is a problem and one that needs to be fixed. No one minds if bad decisions even out across a game as long as the best team wins.

Watching several games this season it is obvious that refs blow penalties and call players out for a bit of a chat when they are so spent that they need to give themselves a breather. If they are this stuffed how can they make good decisons?? The point is not that people make mistakes but that the NRL is doing nothing to minimise the amount that are made.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

The refs are no worse than before, the human race has just become bitchier and more pathetic

Enjoy the footy ya f*ckwits

 

[jumbo]

Graham Lowe is a f**ken Idiot.I seriously mean that,he has done nothing but put down Rugby League in NZ and now he gets given a job and it's all roses now is it? He's scrapped the Bartercard Cup,forced the Coach out and has many more meaningless and silly Ideas for League in NZ over the next few years.He is and always will be a blight on Rugby League in this country.
As far as the refs go,yes they make errors but try watching a game of Union ref'ed by Walsh or Honis and then you'll appreciate League officials,THEY are truly bad.
Warriors to win the NRL 28 - 20 over the Eagles,think i'm wrong? Time will tell.

 

[LeagueLegend]

Sure the refs are human and they make mistakes but when they feature as prominantly as they do in the NRL there is a problem and one that needs to be fixed. No one minds if bad decisions even out across a game as long as the best team wins.

Watching several games this season it is obvious that refs blow penalties and call players out for a bit of a chat when they are so spent that they need to give themselves a breather. If they are this stuffed how can they make good decisons?? The point is not that people make mistakes but that the NRL is doing nothing to minimise the amount that are made.

Rubbish!! What exactly is that you want? A flawless system whereby everything that is against the rules is policed to the strict definition of the rules? We'd end up with a game that doesn't flow.

Should we abolish the technology that enables the referee to better assist the game via the video and wired communications to the touch judges? If we do decisions will immediately become worse than what they are.

Referees are one of only a handful of people on the field that are on the field for the full 80 minutes. Even then the players who are 80 minute players get their breather in defence or attack depending on their position - no such luck for a referee who must make calls on every play in every minute of the game.

It really irks me that people believe that the game is suffering because of referee's decisions. Look closer to home and blame "your" team for making the dumb decisions, dropping the ball, throwing the forward pass and generally doing the things that costs a team a win.

It may well be human nature that people make mistakes, it is also human nature to blame others for those mistakes too.

 

[LeagueLegend]

The refs are no worse than before, the human race has just become bitchier and more pathetic

Enjoy the footy ya f*ckwits

Sad, but true.

 

[innsaneink]

I dont think people mind mistakes as such.....but when you have ridiculous decisions like the Chase "try"....ie: 'stupid' decisions ...thats unacceptable in a so-called professional environment.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

The refs are no worse than before, the human race has just become bitchier and more pathetic

Enjoy the footy ya f*ckwits

I'm going to go with the pretend African-American here.

Word TH, the refs have been screwing up since the game began, it's part and parcel of the game and we should just accept that its part of the game. Back in 1978 Greg Hartley gave 7 tackles a few times to Manly in a semi and there was less bitching then.

Have a moan, but not a witch hunt.

We have a great comp and there's great Footy being played.

That'll do me.

 

[innsaneink]

No...theyre a lot worse now.

in 78 Hollywood didnt have stop frames and slow mo like today, yet they still f**k up

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

It's all relative Ink.

The game now is so much faster than it was in '78 its not funny. Hartley wouldn't go 15 minutes today before needing a crash cart.

They're always going to f**k up, that's the point. If we think we can get rid of errors we're always going to be disappointed.

The only thing I'd like to see is the punting of the video ref altogether.

 

[lockyno1]

challenge system

No, it would make it worse! And the games have to be finished on time as well!