Michael Ennis is bringing rugby league into disrepute.

[Perth Red]

It's indicative of a much bigger growing issue of players questioning and talking back to refs. It needs nipping in the bud or we will end up like soccer.

Refs are too friendly with players and need to show authority.

 

[Fire]

It's indicative of a much bigger growing issue of players questioning and talking back to refs. It needs nipping in the bud or we will end up like soccer.

Refs are too friendly with players and need to show authority.

...and the players these days having no respect for their elders, too.

Back in my day, we always respected our elders, and we always respected what the referee said. I mean, sure, we may not have always been happy with the call, but we put our heads down, rolled our sleeves up, and tried our hearts out for one another.

It's about respect. Respect for the game, respect for your teammates, respect for the referee, but, most importantly, respect for yourself :music2:

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Yeah I think Ennis should be fined. I can understand an accident here and there but you just shouldn't swear at anyone in authority. The ref being mic'd up just makes it worse.

 

[Danish]

Such a nuffie.

Ennis wasn't swearing or acting threatening towards the referee.. He was talking about the decision to the referee and used foul language during it. There's a massive difference.

The thing Joey Johns did and the thing that Anasta does often is insult the officials and act threatening/abusive towards them.

Screaming "that decision is f**king bullshit" is the very definition of dissent.

Consistently swearing at the referee shows a complete lack of respect and a high level of dissent which would not be tolerated in most sports. In fact the only sport I can think of is soccer, and basing how to treat officials on that game is setting a pretty bloody low standard.

 

[Timmah]

There must've been plenty of people who didn't hear this live and are going off the OP's description.

We wasn't standing in front of the ref calling him any names, he was having a conversation with him and swore during it, not AT the ref but in talking.

The problem conversely for Anasta, whether he swears or not, is that he's condescending and rude to the referee instead of just asking for an explanation. The only time recently he's shown a cool head is post-Taikarangi no-try last week. Otherwise, he's petulant.

 

[Hooch]

The only ref in recent times who couldn't cop that shit was Steve Clark. And guess, what, they didn't swear at him because they'd be marched.

Any ref with a decent set of testes gets weeded out the lower grades.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I can't believe some people are blaming Ennis for this. Yes the guys a merkin but seriously he should not have to worry about a microphone picking up every single word he says in the middle of a match. There was nothing wrong with what he said, he was just questioning the referees decision, and of course there is going to be some F bombs dropped when the players get frustrated.

All he said was 'Are you f*cking kidding, what the f*ck kinda decision is that'. Now if he had directly called the referee a f*cking moron, then yes that is dissent and warrants a sin binning, but that wasn't the case at all.

Anybody who's ever played a sport knows there is foul language on display every game. If your going to blame anybody, blame the broadcasters who allowed the conversation to go to air.

 

[Hooch]

The one good thing about union is you've gotta show the ref respect. You sit there and swearing your head off and carrying on like a pork chop and you'll be marched or binned.

They could fix it tomorrow in league but it's just the culture.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

I'd give him 3 weeks for borrowing Eddie Munster's hair.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

Some ppl like being voyeurs and eaves drop on refs conversation
I blame viewers for fueling this demand

 

[firechild]

Precedent was set when Thurston gave a spray to a ref and nothing was done about it. Ironically, in a situation similar to this, a Manly player was penalised not long after for saying "are you serious?"

 

[Lambretta]

Precedent was set when Thurston gave a spray to a ref and nothing was done about it. Ironically, in a situation similar to this, a Manly player was penalised not long after for saying "are you serious?"

In fairness to the refs, thats code for "you're a cheating f**king maggot merkin"

 

[JoeD]

The problem, like so many of leagues problems, is the massive inconsistency. Either have all ref conversations broadcast or none. Either penalise all players for swearing or none.
Stop having 'pet' rules that you enforce for 3 weeks and then forget about.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Hodges got a two match suspension for gesturing near the ref. There's never been consistency.

To be fair though, Ennis does far more damage to the game with his footballing ability than words could ever do.

 

[Doga]

Precedent was set when Thurston gave a spray to a ref and nothing was done about it. Ironically, in a situation similar to this, a Manly player was penalised not long after for saying "are you serious?"

Same happened 2-3 weeks ago against josh Morris . Incidentally, skeepe felt it was a fair call

Hodges got a two match suspension for gesturing near the ref. There's never been consistency.

To be fair though, Ennis does far more damage to the game with his footballing ability than words could ever do.

Haha so true!!

 

[firechild]

In fairness to the refs, thats code for "you're a cheating f**king maggot merkin"

Funnily enough, that's pretty much what Thurston said and got away with it.

 

[jsmith]

If I were to talk to an umpire in the sport I play, I would be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Simply swearing in general is severely frowned upon and can lead to bans of 1-4 weeks if it is deemed loud enough for spectators or children to have heard.

I am a player/ coach. NEVER would I swear at an umpire, yes I drop the occasional f bomb (I did last week end, wasn't directed the the ump though).
I also umpire games, and to say I wouldn't have Tolerated ennis' outburst is an understatement. I give a warning for the first word, tell players if they want to ask a question to do it in a civil manner. Second time I will and have sent players off.

Amateur or professional sportsmen, it is never acceptable to swear at an official.

 

[grouch]

On Anzac Day Jamie Soward said "he's f**king held" and the ref immediately penalised him and virtually handed the Roosters the game on a platter for it. For those three words.

 

[LeagueNovice]

they have no grasp on the feel of a game !

they see a forward pass for example but b4 there mind reacts and saids that was forward, the play has gone...so they just let it go.

 

[bulldog]

I don't have a problem with the mic picking up the odd bit of colourful language, I do have a problem with the lack of respect that is shown to our officials in general - it is something that has been getting worse and should have been nipped inb the bud a long time ago.

I have no doubt that at some point in the near future we'll have a sudden rash of players being binned or penalised for dissent and the problem will disappear for a while.