Neutral Refs needed for all internationals

[LeagueXIII]

Just a small point as to why neutral refs are a necessity at international level:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/ddf176f67bcac0a230f5ffd61db65f65

Meninga, the only man to captain the Kangaroos on two of the tours, which occurred every four years, recalled the last game of his career in a Test against France in Beziers, won 74-0 in front of 8000 spectators.


“We were up something like 69-0 and I hadn’t scored. I wanted to score in my last Test match and had to run 40m and got run down,’’ Meninga said.

“Billy Harrigan was the referee and I was brought down just a little bit short of the line, I skipped the arm over. It was definitely a double movement, but Billy blew his whistle and said fair try.

“I got my wish but in reality it should’ve been a penalty.’’

Harrigan one of the boys, helping out a mate............I'm sorry no matter what the score or occasion an international is an international and the rules should be respected.... helping out a mate Aussie style is showing no respect to the game.

Besides Australia don't need the help.....it's time to revert back to neutral refs.

 

[LeagueXIII]

Read this article on the 1994 Kangaroo tour Test v France refereed by Bill Harrigan, and whilst it is a small point it supports the reasoning behind neutral referees:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/ddf176f67bcac0a230f5ffd61db65f65

Meninga, the only man to captain the Kangaroos on two of the tours, which occurred every four years, recalled the last game of his career in a Test against France in Beziers, won 74-0 in front of 8000 spectators.


“We were up something like 69-0 and I hadn’t scored. I wanted to score in my last Test match and had to run 40m and got run down,’’ Meninga said.

“Billy Harrigan was the referee and I was brought down just a little bit short of the line, I skipped the arm over. It was definitely a double movement, but Billy blew his whistle and said fair try.

“I got my wish but in reality it should’ve been a penalty.’’

Good old Billy helping out a mate...I'm sorry, even though the game was over international games shouldn't be there for Aussies to mock and have their way with the rules....show some respect for the rules, the game and the opposition.

Time for neutral refs like we use to have

 

[roughyedspud]

We all agree.....but is a need for 2 threads?

 

[RL The greatest game]

We are the worst offenders. Not only wanting our own refs but also wanting to play under NRL rules.

 

[latingringo101]

I think the main argument for Neutral refs is to eliminate all arguments and fears for conflict of interest.

I watched the England vs Australia game down in Melbourne in 2014 and it was an Aussie Ref.

The English blew up because they said it was rigged when the video ref (who was aussie) said no try to a possible English try to win the game right on full time.

I believe the Ref was fair and did the best he could, but it just shows the importance of neutral refs.

we need to have neutral refs so new comers to our sport don't get the message that we are unfair and unjust when we run international matches and eliminate as much as possible people calling out the ref being unfair because he's not neutral.

 

[johnny plath]

Its great in theory, but they have to be competent as well. Considering we only have two pro leagues, where are all of these competent neutral refs going to come from. I'm not naming refs or judging their skills, but sure the nrl can supply aussie refs and esl english refs, but then the cupboards seriously bare (or maybe just unknown I guess). Nz could provide????? So do we really want our show piece internationals being reffed by amateurs? Maybe there needs to be some program where international refs spend time in England and Aus to up skill.

 

[Evil Homer]

Its great in theory, but they have to be competent as well. Considering we only have two pro leagues, where are all of these competent neutral refs going to come from. I'm not naming refs or judging their skills, but sure the nrl can supply aussie refs and esl english refs, but then the cupboards seriously bare (or maybe just unknown I guess). Nz could provide????? So do we really want our show piece internationals being reffed by amateurs? Maybe there needs to be some program where international refs spend time in England and Aus to up skill.

It really would not be difficult to get a French ref and a NZ ref in Super League/NRL, which would mean at least two professional neutral refs available for every possible international match. I'm shocked there hasn't already been a NZ ref in the NRL TBH.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It really would not be difficult to get a French ref and a NZ ref in Super League/NRL, which would mean at least two professional neutral refs available for every possible international match. I'm shocked there hasn't already been a NZ ref in the NRL TBH.

Ever heard of henry perenara?

Shock.

Pretty sure the poms whinged when they lost under him too.

No shock.

 

[The Partisan]

Yes an International 'Officials' training and mentoring program would be handy.


Alas, we don't have it ...and probably aint going to see one in a long while .... so get used to the concept of a referee being neutral by nature .......regardless of where they are from.

If a Yorkshire based team plays a Lancashire based team in a SL GF ....do they call for a Cumbrian based referee ???

All the referees for Origin are NSW - based these days ? Qld still does ok !


It would be great to have ...but unless suitably prepared officials from NZ, France, PNG, Wales etc are introduced into the pro leagues (NRL / ESL) in the next few years ...well the RLWC pool of officials will be limited.

 

[johnny plath]

Yes i thought of perranara and he would be the best nzrl has but he's not exactly top shelf. Are there french refs in super league. .how do they go if any.?

 

[LeagueXIII]

The IRLF along with Australia and England need to develop refs.

The 1988 World Cup final was refereed by a PNG referee and he was praised.

The greatest test series in my time, 1990 Gt Britain vs Australia, was refereed by a Frenchmen.

It is usually the Aussie media or coach (mainly Bob Fulton) who whinged about refs.

But as you can see from the article in the first post even though we had a "pro" ref like Harrigan he still made a mistake and favoured his national team even against a fairly weak French side at the time.

 

[langpark]

Yes i thought of perranara and he would be the best nzrl has but he's not exactly top shelf. Are there french refs in super league. .how do they go if any.?

Ever since Thierry Alibert retired a couple of years ago, no. But I believe in a year or two France's top ref (which I think right now is probably Mohammed Drizza) will get a full-time Super League gig.


I just want to comment on the original post of this thread. I've long been an advocate for neutral refs, but I think Meninga's comments there are irrelevant. I'm sure many refs in that same position, given what a momentous occasion it was, would have turned a blind eye to that as well, especially given the fact that Aus had already run away with the match and had no real bearing on the result.

 

[deluded pom?]

I had a bet on that game and I lost when Australia beat the handicap by two points!

 

[latingringo101]

Its great in theory, but they have to be competent as well. Considering we only have two pro leagues, where are all of these competent neutral refs going to come from. I'm not naming refs or judging their skills, but sure the nrl can supply aussie refs and esl english refs, but then the cupboards seriously bare (or maybe just unknown I guess). Nz could provide????? So do we really want our show piece internationals being reffed by amateurs? Maybe there needs to be some program where international refs spend time in England and Aus to up skill.

I think we have good refs from England, NZ and Oz so you just gotta make sure the ref is from a different nation when 2 of the 3 nations play.

 

[expansionist]

Ever heard of henry perenara?

Shock.

Pretty sure the poms whinged when they lost under him too.

No shock.

I think the whole RL world complained about that as Perenara just doesnt appear up to it.

A different take on this is NRL ref V Non NRL Ref.

Regardless of nationality, a Kiwi who is a regular NRL ref does his thing week in week out with NRL players - who the majority of are Australian. I would say this gives the Australians more of a potential advantage than say, an Aussie Ref who works in say for example the French comp or even ESL.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Billy can GGF... same with Mal... go smell your finger

 

[thorson1987]

Whilst Perenara is a Kiwi, he should be nowhere near a local A Grade grand final let alone an international match.

merkin is proof that ex players don't always make good refs, especially when they are fast tracked to the NRL.

 

[thorson1987]

I think the whole RL world complained about that as Perenara just doesnt appear up to it.

A different take on this is NRL ref V Non NRL Ref.

Regardless of nationality, a Kiwi who is a regular NRL ref does his thing week in week out with NRL players - who the majority of are Australian. I would say this gives the Australians more of a potential advantage than say, an Aussie Ref who works in say for example the French comp or even ESL.

Would there be any though?