Penalties and so on

[latemail]

If the refs want to they can ping a player at every play the ball and every tackle
That was painful watching that shit

 

[FlameThrower]

Let’s see if this hard core enforcement of the rules continues all season or will the media and fan backlash will see a softening of this...

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Watched the storm and sharks game and gus just went on and on about it recking the game.
He must have mention it 50 time at least.
Unfortunately were I was watching the game had the nine coverage.
They are shite commentators.

Fox Sports' Warren Smith remains the undisputed shite commentator of them all.

Remember his histrionics in the game against Manly last year, when Cherry-Evans deliberately collided with Nightingale in order to 'milk' a penalty as a fair try was scored?

Despite replays showing conclusive proof that DCE was the instigator, Smith led a chorus of hysterical rants calling the decision (to allow the try) as "an absolute howler".

His performance in the 2010 grand final was equally bad.

 

[Belta]

DQ said; "...game(s) ... tomorrow."

Yep, just realised I'm a day out.

 

[ALSGI]

Looks like Sam Burgess will be suspended for our game next week. Shame really, looked forward to JG and the boys handling him at Kogarah.
We’ll have to wait till round 10 for the rematch at ANZ.

 

[WA 'S OWN RED V]

I think this crack down suits us as we never seem to get away with much as the franchises. We were never the Kings of slowing the play the ball down and getting away with it. In the past it was rules applicable to some but not others. Maybe they have been better at tampering in the play the ball/gamesmanship/competing than us.Time will tell if it is right or not for the game but it was fun finally seeing Melbourne cop it even if its a decade to late.

 

[St from the Gong]

Bring back the 5 minute sin bin and use it for repeated offside and slow the play the ball tactics.

SFTG

 

[BrissyRedV]

The storm and sharks as well as several others have been flaunting the rules for years and this year they aren't getting away with it. The sooner teams learn to play by the rules, stay inside, slow the rock down etc. the sooner it will even out and teams won't be penalised as much. What has been slowing the game for the past several years is the continued wrestle in the ruck and teams being inside the 10. It is about time this issue has been fixed.

 

[Life's Good]

The place to fix this is on the training paddock not on the field. The refs aren't coaches and the players will look for a way around it ( milking, diving etc ) long before they listen to a ref.
The refs have done their bit, i.e. sounded a strong warning, but now it's time to take a breath, have a chat between the NRL, Refs and Coaches - preferably this week - and get things back on track, or on the new track.
There's no other answer, what happened last night can't keep happening without serious damage to the brand.

The good thing for us ( Saints I mean ) is that our discipline in these areas is pretty good, we haven't been coached to wrestle half as much or for as long as say the Storm or.....the Storm..and other teams and we let the opposition up to play the ball relatively fast compared to others. I've actually complained on these forums that we let them up too fast but now I'm thinking that can only be to our benefit as it won't be a big adjustment for us. We'll have to adjust our timing at the 10 metres but that shouldn't be a drama.

Last night had to happen but it can't happen for much longer.

I think this is why by Bellamy & Flanagan didn’t really turn on the drama in their press conferences on Friday night. They have had the refs at their training to assist & advise yet they were still flaunting the rules in the hope this crackdown might go away. It obviously it didn’t & they paid the price.
You’re spot on about us. We have never been a niggly, dirty side so we are one of a few clubs not really needing to adjust too much. I’d put Penrith & Warriors in there as well. No surprise we are high on the ladder as a result.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Fox Sports' Warren Smith remains the undisputed shite commentator of them all.

Remember his histrionics in the game against Manly last year, when Cherry-Evans deliberately collided with Nightingale in order to 'milk' a penalty as a fair try was scored?

Despite replays showing conclusive proof that DCE was the instigator, Smith led a chorus of hysterical rants calling the decision (to allow the try) as "an absolute howler".

His performance in the 2010 grand final was equally bad.

You are SO correct.
He is the most bias of them all.
He appears to dislike our club as much as we dislike him.

At least our team can perform as professionals on weekly basis.

 

[The calm one]

Yep x 10000

You want less penalties, stop breaking the God damn rules.

As long as it the remains consistent its about time they kept the teams onside, stop wrestling, stop laying on the tackled player, stop the flop.

Was good to see the Storm cop it.

You can’t have your cake and eat it to. If you want the likes of the storm to stop cheating you have
No other option. Eventually teams will get sick of giving away penalties and in the long term I think you will see a better brand of football. Whatever we do, please let’s not go back to the days of chicken wings, wrestles, and whatever else used to happen to slow the play down

 

[SBD82]

The media is really pushing the angle that the referees are ruining the spectacle for the fans.

Interesting that everywhere I look that has fans voicing their opinion, it's almost universal that fans are supporting the refs.

This isn't about one game, it's about 15 years of Melbourne's spoiling tactics, and the same tactics being deployed by other teams when they realise that Melbourne get away with it. The NRL should have acted on this years ago. Seeing Cam Smith binned felt like the refs are finally giving us back our game.

I don't want the refs to have "common sense" or "manage" the game. I don't want them to call players by their first names/nicknames and coach them. I want the refs to police and enforce the rules.

 

[Drag Queen]

The media is really pushing the angle that the referees are ruining the spectacle for the fans.

Interesting that everywhere I look that has fans voicing their opinion, it's almost universal that fans are supporting the refs.

This isn't about one game, it's about 15 years of Melbourne's spoiling tactics, and the same tactics being deployed by other teams when they realise that Melbourne get away with it. The NRL should have acted on this years ago. Seeing Cam Smith binned felt like the refs are finally giving us back our game.

I don't want the refs to have "common sense" or "manage" the game. I don't want them to call players by their first names/nicknames and coach them. I want the refs to police and enforce the rules.

Boom. Well said. I have a feeling we've adjusted better than most other teams. When Flannigan said the fans were the ones suffering watching that particular game of stop and start (insert 32- 33 penalties) I thought tough shit. Bellamy, on the other hand realised that his game plan had to change. Smith may have learned to zip his lip. Time will tell though. This tough new stance might see us going forward and I hope Mary will endorse it. In all fairness I'm not sure it's him or his roster, but stuff is starting to click. Hope it stays this way.

 

[SBD82]

Boom. Well said. I have a feeling we've adjusted better than most other teams. When Flannigan said the fans were the ones suffering watching that particular game of stop and start (insert 32- 33 penalties) I thought tough shit. Bellamy, on the other hand realised that his game plan had to change. Smith may have learned to zip his lip. Time will tell though. This tough new stance might see us going forward and I hope Mary will endorse it. In all fairness I'm not sure it's him or his roster, but stuff is starting to click. Hope it stays this way.

Hopefully Flanagan continues to complain, and the refs just penalise the shit out of the sharks.

 

[Drag Queen]

Hopefully Flanagan continues to complain, and the refs just penalise the shit out of the sharks.

Wouldn't bother me if they don't pick up their game at all TBH. They've got muscle no doubt but their cheating tricks won't carry muster this year if the refs stay firm. Same for Storm, but if Bellamy is half the coach he has been out to be he'll change his team's culture. Flanno seemed to miss the point entirely. Back to the drawing board for both Sharks and Storm. Even playing field now mate (I hope).

 

[Drag Queen]

You can’t have your cake and eat it to. If you want the likes of the storm to stop cheating you have
No other option. Eventually teams will get sick of giving away penalties and in the long term I think you will see a better brand of football. Whatever we do, please let’s not go back to the days of chicken wings, wrestles, and whatever else used to happen to slow the play down

Calm down calm one. We have cheated the least. Our boys have this covered. My only worry is Newy have too. Over and out!

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

The media is really pushing the angle that the referees are ruining the spectacle for the fans.

Interesting that everywhere I look that has fans voicing their opinion, it's almost universal that fans are supporting the refs.

This isn't about one game, it's about 15 years of Melbourne's spoiling tactics, and the same tactics being deployed by other teams when they realise that Melbourne get away with it. The NRL should have acted on this years ago. Seeing Cam Smith binned felt like the refs are finally giving us back our game.

I don't want the refs to have "common sense" or "manage" the game. I don't want them to call players by their first names/nicknames and coach them. I want the refs to police and enforce the rules.

Good post.

One of my 'pet hates'...and there are few...is where the referees 'coach' players to stay on side, particularly from kick offs or resumption of play from the halfway mark.

It shits me to tears.

 

[2010]

7 penalties each was a lot better then earlier games this round. Glad we played today not yesterday.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

I was a bit upset about Nightingale being penalised to day when he took no part in the play.

But really, he was a yard offside, so yeah, it's a penalty.

 

[mbk78]

Just watching NRL 360. Buzz opened with the predictable line that most commentators - like Gould, etc - have taken this weekend that the refs are ruining the game with all the penalties they’re blowing. I half expected Kent to toe the news limited line by agreeing with him. I must say I was more than pleasantly surprised to see he took the opposite viewpoint completely - he said the game has suffered for far too long from players and coaches exploiting the rules to their benefit and referees not calling them on it. Summing up he said the NRL through Michael McGuire had had enough and decided to clamp down on both the play the ball and offside defence. Kent’s viewpoint was that the short term pain was worth the the long term gain for the game. I’ve go to say I agree with him 100%. Teams like the Storm have been allowed to exploit the rules for well over a decade and it’s not right. Finally someone has decided to draw the line in the sand! And I, for one, don’t mind if it does mean some turmoil in the short term if it forces a mindset change for most teams. Interestingly Bellamy of all people chose NOT to criticise the refs but rather focus of his players inability to adapt to the changes. I just pray our coaching staff adapt to the “back to the future” changes quicker than most others!