McCallum and Mascord on NRL refereeing standards

[Shorty]

So reserve grader $$$$, but we expect SoO performance in every game.

All I am saying they make mistakes.

Players decide games, even if a ref gives a penalty in 79th minute for a drawn match to won by 2 points, what about the first 79 minutes, good teams win, shit teams lose. Refs make mistakes.

I hear what you're saying but to me the interpretation of the knock on and the missing of high shots is damaging the game.
And the roughing up of play makers has happened for the past 2 years, it's been getting progressively worse.

 

[Perth Red]

Gould says there are too many penalties, smith says they aren't blowing the whistle enough. Which is it?

I don't mind that refs get some decisions wrong, they are watching at full speed and have to make quick calls, the ball stripping, lost balls playing it etc are always going to be 50/50. I do mind when they miss really blatant errors or foul play or when they are inconsistent, blowing up one week and not the next or one half and not the other.

Everyone lauds origin for its speed and intensity yet when the refs try the same in the nrl everyone whinges they aren't applying the rules or are managing a game. No wonder they don't know which way to play it!

 

[Lambretta]

They are blowing 30% more today than they did under the previous referees boss, so I hardly think it's a matter of too few

However most of them seem to be for things such as hands in the play the ball
My f**king god this rule shits me. Why is it, in a World where every player is told to wrap up the ball that the one thing they want to penalise is having your hands on the ball, and then why do they penalise it 5% of the time? It's a daft penalty and it's badly enforced

If you rake the ball out or cause the player playing the ball to drop it then penalise that. But don't penalise players for making good tackles

Why is walking off the mark not Policed in the same manner? It's more blatantly bloody obvious when a player does it and fans could live with it if it were penalised

 

[adamkungl]

Is "hand on the ball" even in the rule book?

 

[LineBall]

Hand on the ball penalties are terrible. The rule itself is stupid and has only been brought in because of all the other crap they have let players get away with.

The state of the ruck and play the ball at the moment is a dog's breakfast. In every game, I reckon you could find players breaking the rules at least 80% of the time. The question is, does anyone in the NRL have the cajones to direct the refs to referee the game to the letter of the law and ride out the inevitable moaning when we see 30-40 penalties per game for a while.

 

[adamkungl]

Hand on the ball penalties are terrible. The rule itself is stupid and has only been brought in because of all the other crap they have let players get away with.

The state of the ruck and play the ball at the moment is a dog's breakfast. In every game, I reckon you could find players breaking the rules at least 80% of the time. The question is, does anyone in the NRL have the cajones to direct the refs to referee the game to the letter of the law and ride out the inevitable moaning when we see 30-40 penalties per game for a while.

Can't go changing the game mid-season (Well, you shouldn't. But that hasn't stopped them before).
They can draw a line in the sand before next season though, regarding the ruck.

Defenders must immediately remove themselves from the ruck upon completion of a tackle.
Attackers must be on their feet before playing the ball and must touch the ball with their foot.
Referees must call held when the attacking player loses momentum.

 

[Dragonwest]

Like Smith said, referee the rules strictly, bring it in during the preseason with differential penalties for attackers who do the following:
- walk off the mark
- don't gain their feet before placing the ball down
- don't play it square
- don't use the foot
- obstruct / push the marker

Penalise defenders as per the existing rules.

 

[LineBall]

Can't go changing the game mid-season (Well, you shouldn't. But that hasn't stopped them before).
They can draw a line in the sand before next season though, regarding the ruck.

Defenders must immediately remove themselves from the ruck upon completion of a tackle.
Attackers must be on their feet before playing the ball and must touch the ball with their foot.
Referees must call held when the attacking player loses momentum.

Of course. During the off season they should sack Archer, get the rulebook out, send a copy to all clubs and advise that all infringements will be penalised.

 

[Timbo]

The refs are more interested in keeping games even than officiating them. At some point, they began to think they're as important as players.

And the media are massive enablers of this.

Look at union. SBW sent off in a massive Lions test. A few years ago, the captain and star player of the Welsh team was sent off in the opening minutes of a World Cup semi-final. Both were correct calls and there was no outrage aimed at the referee.

What would happen if Slater or Maloney were sent off for a high shot in a big game? You'd have f**ktards like MG on the radio the next day saying the ref ruined the game and you shouldn't be sent off in big games. Instead of saying 'Maloney shouldn't have spear tackled', they say things like 'the ref ruined the game - send it to the judiciary and suspend him for three regular season games'.

Here's the fundamental thing: the rules of the game should not change based upon the player involved, the situation the match is at, or the stakes involved for that match.

Unfortunately the referees don't agree, and referee based upon the above three things. I really don't know how it can be changed at this point. It's too far gone.

 

[adamkungl]

This happens today he stays on

 

[LineBall]

This happens today he stays on

Ummm..... Put it on report.

 

[adamkungl]

Why does no one in media ask what the point of a report is in the modern game?

It makes no difference on the field.
And every illegal tackle is picked up regardless of reports because every game is televised and replayed.
The refs job shouldnt be to decide what the judiciary should be looking at.

 

[LineBall]

The refs are more interested in keeping games even than officiating them. At some point, they began to think they're as important as players.

And the media are massive enablers of this.

Look at union. SBW sent off in a massive Lions test. A few years ago, the captain and star player of the Welsh team was sent off in the opening minutes of a World Cup semi-final. Both were correct calls and there was no outrage aimed at the referee.

What would happen if Slater or Maloney were sent off for a high shot in a big game? You'd have f**ktards like MG on the radio the next day saying the ref ruined the game and you shouldn't be sent off in big games. Instead of saying 'Maloney shouldn't have spear tackled', they say things like 'the ref ruined the game - send it to the judiciary and suspend him for three regular season games'.

Here's the fundamental thing: the rules of the game should not change based upon the player involved, the situation the match is at, or the stakes involved for that match.

Unfortunately the referees don't agree, and referee based upon the above three things. I really don't know how it can be changed at this point. It's too far gone.

Fully agree. If there's one thing that League can learn from Union, it's the way the referees interact with the players. Their attitude towards binning or sending players also seems to be much more clear cut. I wouldn't have a problem if League followed suit, and that any contact with the head should either be 10 minutes in the bin, or off.

 

[LineBall]

Why does no one in media ask what the point of a report is in the modern game?

It makes no difference on the field.
And every illegal tackle is picked up regardless of reports because every game is televised and replayed.
The refs job shouldnt be to decide what the judiciary should be looking at.

You're right. Putting things on report has gotten us to where we are now, with indecisive refs taking the easy way out.

 

[thorson1987]

You're right. Putting things on report has gotten us to where we are now, with indecisive refs taking the easy way out.

Agreed. Refs should just give a penalty, if its worthy of further action the MRC can decide that.

Also f**k off the whole "needs to be a reportable offence to give a penalty" when someone stays down. If the 2 refs didn't deem it a penalty on 1st looks then don't give one. Need to stop the bullshit diving.

 

[beave]

To be fair mate, diving is a lot less prevalent this year than it has been in the past.

 

[adamkungl]

Wow this is just... fascinatingly messed up.

Archer has dropped the pocket referee and the assistant video referee because the incident occurred in backplay.

I dont know where to start..
Is it not the main referees job to make a call? If not why not?
Also the bloke has no less than 5 voices in his ear advising him.. no wonder the merkins hesitate.
And how is backplay defined as half a second after passing the ball????

Sack this dopey merkin now


https://www.sportsnews.com.au/nrl/nrl-drops-officials-over-soliola-incident/395330

Senior NRL review official Bernard Sutton has taken the bullet for failing to send off Sia Soliola for last weekend’s sickening hit on Melbourne’s Billy Slater.

Referees boss Tony Archer has also pinned the blame on Sutton and review and assistant referee Chris Butler, while lead on-field official Matt Cecchin has seemingly escaped scot-free.

As a result, Sutton will drop back to the role of regular bunker reviewer, and will have all his major decisions overseen by senior official Luke Patten.

“The officials who were ultimately responsible for the decision, given it occurred in backplay, were the senior review official and the assist referee,” Archer said.

“As a result, Bernie Sutton will not be a senior review official in round 21, and Chris Butler will officiate in Queensland Cup.

“It is my expectation that the assist referee firstly identifies incidents in backplay, while the senior review official should have taken stronger action due to the serious nature of this incident.”

Regular review official Bryan Norrie has also escaped punishment. He and Cecchin will retain their positions for Friday night’s clash between the Warriors and Cronulla.

Archer was particularly critical of the decision not to send Soliola off after the late and high hit, which floored Slater and ruled him out for this week’s clash with Manly.

The former on-field referee released a statement in the hours after the game, declaring it had met the indicators required for a send-off.

Soliola’s case was the first to be referred straight to the NRL judiciary in two years.

 

[LineBall]

Watch the footage of this game in 1980. The referee is Jack Danzey. First set for QLD he penalises NSW for something in the tackle, then he penalises them again for being offside from the tap restart after QLD find the line. In the first few minutes, the play the balls are done correctly and the tackled player is released much faster. He didn't muck around - like most refs used to be, and the game was better for it.

 

[Timbo]

Agreed. Refs should just give a penalty, if its worthy of further action the MRC can decide that.

Also f**k off the whole "needs to be a reportable offence to give a penalty" when someone stays down. If the 2 refs didn't deem it a penalty on 1st looks then don't give one. Need to stop the bullshit diving.

All started with f**king Harrigan.

I'd like a rule that refs and players can't use each other's names. Refs should refer to players as colour/number and players should call refs sir.

Get the familiarity out of it.

 

[LineBall]

All started with f**king Harrigan.

I'd like a rule that refs and players can't use each other's names. Refs should refer to players as colour/number and players should call refs sir.

Get the familiarity out of it.

Not only is it a bad look, it can interfere with the play. I'm sure there was an incident years ago when a ref called a Bronco defender out for being off side by saying " stay out of it Corey". Problem was Corey Parker and Corey Norman were defending next to each other and they both stopped.