Penalty Blitz

[Stallion]

I never wanted changes, particularly play of the ball which I couldn’t care less for.
I think that the nrl and the way it tinkers with rules hasn’t been a good look for the game.
You’ll find that those of us disagreeing with so many calls it’s because we think it’s going to last and that players and coaches aren’t really going to change.

I understand the idea behind doing this I just don’t like it’s going to work.

I think the play the ball crackdown is refreshing! Long overdue.

 

[LineBall]

Extra time last Friday night?

The question was in reference to the Good Friday games.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

The question was in reference to the Good Friday games.

Cameron Smith was only given 10 in the bin??

 

[Pommy]

Edit: Never mind

 

[kit66]

Last night's game was a farce and a failure. The refs tried a new approach and it turned the game into a barely watchable joke. All it did was frustrate the players to breaking point and annoy the f*ck out of the fans.
If that's the future of the game then it's days are numbered.

With this new crackdown the Refs are out to basically change the whole dynamic of the game but they're doing it in the wrong place which is on the field with players who've spent years being trained / coached to do what they do. People think footy players are just big dummies, well maybe they fail at Geography and Maths but on the footy field they're the best at what they do and not just cluey but as competitve as all get out. It's their job to outplay and outwit not just the opposition but also the refs, that's what they do ffs. How many of those penalties were milked although that's just part of it.

Refs aren't coaches, they're the enemy. The only place you're going to make the changes the refs want is during the week on the coaching paddock. The refs have made their point, albeit with a sledge hammer, now it's time to have a nice chat between the coaches and the Ref bosses and get some sense back into proceedings. Please.

 

[T-Boon]

Agree. Walking off the mark used to be a penalty, but the powers that be decided to just get them to go back and play it - again, to reduce penalties. Now you have some players who take 2 steps forward and one to the side before they play the ball. Make it a penalty again I say.

Yep. It is not just about stealing a metre, it is mainly about making it extremely hard for the referees to ref the markers being square penalties. When to give the penalty, when not to.

 

[Iafeta]

I think Harrigan inadvertently helped create a generation of really poor referees. He was hailed as a champion because he kept the whistle in the pocket. Players began breaching and then outright flaunting the rules. The game slowed down with a lot of wrestling. Referees began calling players by their name, not their number.

There needs to be a correction. The referees were disrespected because they lost their balls. They were being policed by the players. Tactics were devised to take advantage that they just would not officiate.

Cameron Smith got binned for back chat. But the last ten years he’s basically slept in the ruck. And gotten away with it.

Players are the ones who must adjust. And none of this “we don’t blow penalties in Origin” rubbish anymore either.

 

[T-Boon]

It's making the game look a little like Union at the moment but I think it's temporary. Teams will soon learn the important stance the NRL are trying to take on it. 30 penalties in Sharks Storm game, but hey, these two teams were the top 2 in penalties conceded last year. Should be no real surprise to anyone.

I think what is making the game look like Union is how dominant the defense is over the attack. There just does not look like there is any space anywhere to make line breaks (which are what makes the game watchable).
On top of that and because coaches know that they are taking a lot more shots at goals from penalties which is also like Union.
We have to find a way of creating more space on the field.

 

[Exsilium]

What annoys me is when one referee runs back 11-12m and walks the players onto the ten and then the second referee holds the exact ten and players still walk forward.

I also hate referees calling players back onside. It’s stupid.

Also, players being called by their names,nicknames or whatever. Unless it’s a direct chat with the player during a stoppage it should be numerical during play.

 

[T-Boon]

The refs have made their point, albeit with a sledge hammer, now it's time to have a nice chat between the coaches and the Ref bosses and get some sense back into proceedings. Please.

I agree there needs to be a chat between the refs, the NRL and the coaches but the conversation needs to start with this: "Mr Coaches, you need to shut the f**k up and listen to what we are about to say - you are doing a lot of talking, but not a lot of listening".

 

[King hit]

I'm all for referees getting tough on the rules but last night was a farce. Fans and the viewer on TV deserve to see a free flowing spectacle but what we got was a non stop penaltython that didn't allow either side to play to their ability. Very disappointing and frustrating to watch.

 

[T-Boon]

One other thing I am sick of hearing is "the refs need to be consistent" because I am pretty sure what coaches and commentators mean by that is penalty counts need to be pretty much even and if you give one there you need to balance that out with one here so that penalties aren't determining the outcome.

All refs need to be is unbiased and referring as best as they see in front of them. They should never be thinking about evening the penalty count. If one team is infringing and the other isn't then the penalty count should be lop sided and it should determine the outcome of the game.

That is when coaches start paying attention.

 

[Life's Good]

One other thing I am sick of hearing is "the refs need to be consistent" because I am pretty sure what coaches and commentators mean by that is penalty counts need to be pretty much even and if you give one there you need to balance that out with one here so that penalties aren't determining the outcome.

All refs need to be is unbiased and referring as best as they see in front of them. They should never be thinking about evening the penalty count. If one team is infringing and the other isn't then the penalty count should be lop sided and it should determine the outcome of the game.

That is when coaches start paying attention.

You’re loving this. You’ve managed to keep your rule changes in your pants. For now

 

[Spot On]

I think what is making the game look like Union is how dominant the defense is over the attack. There just does not look like there is any space anywhere to make line breaks (which are what makes the game watchable).
On top of that and because coaches know that they are taking a lot more shots at goals from penalties which is also like Union.
We have to find a way of creating more space on the field.

Get 'em onside and there will be more 'open' play.

That's the entire reason teams are offside - so their defense can dominate.

Not much fun watching a playmaker catch the ball and be hit by a bloke 5 metres offside before he can do anything with the ball.

 

[Spot On]

I'm all for referees getting tough on the rules but last night was a farce. Fans and the viewer on TV deserve to see a free flowing spectacle but what we got was a non stop penaltython that didn't allow either side to play to their ability. Very disappointing and frustrating to watch.

Shows just by how far and frequent some teams have been breaking the rules and 'gaining advantage'.

They have not been made to play to the rules for years.

I don't care how many penalties are blown. If they are dog shit dumb enough to stand off side all game then ref, 'Blow that whistle!'

If they want to hold down and wrestle the bloke who should be allowed to play the ball then ref, 'Blow that whistle!'

Good luck to the teams smart enough to stand with the ref. They'll climb the ladder and their fans will be stoked!

 

[Grapple]

Didn't watch the game last night so watched the highlights (?) just now. It's hilarious to watch the game in a condensed fashion. I'd advise everyone to watch it and listen to the whistle.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/30/cronulla-sharks-score-hard-earned-win-over-melbourne-storm/

 

[Pommy]

One other thing I am sick of hearing is "the refs need to be consistent" because I am pretty sure what coaches and commentators mean by that is penalty counts need to be pretty much even and if you give one there you need to balance that out with one here so that penalties aren't determining the outcome.

All refs need to be is unbiased and referring as best as they see in front of them. They should never be thinking about evening the penalty count. If one team is infringing and the other isn't then the penalty count should be lop sided and it should determine the outcome of the game.

That is when coaches start paying attention.

For once a post I can actually agree with. People genuinely feel the penalty count should be even in games, when in reality it should be a reflection of the on field action. If the count is 20-0 it shouldn’t matter if that’s what’s occurred.

 

[T-Boon]

You’re loving this. You’ve managed to keep your rule changes in your pants. For now

I am, because I think if they keep this up they could fix a lot of the problems and make the game enjoyable again.
I feel like the NRL are suddenly of the same mind set as me. That is they want the game they love back that the coaches have methodically f**ked over 15 years.
Even if the refs and NRL go soft from here the fans eyes have been opened to what the coaches have been doing.

 

[T-Boon]

For once a post I can actually agree with. People genuinely feel the penalty count should be even in games, when in reality it should be a reflection of the on field action. If the count is 20-0 it shouldn’t matter if that’s what’s occurred.

My team (Parra) have been on the end of some nasty penalty counts so far. Last week they didn't get one until about the 50th minute. At the time I was feeling hard done by but then afterwards I was more thinking what the hell has the coaching staff been doing in the off season.

 

[T-Boon]

As has been mentioned Joeys crap about passive offside is idiotic. You are only passive offside if your back is to the defense and you are retreating to get onside. If you are facing the attacking backline and either advancing or stopped in an offside position you are having an influence on which way the ball goes from the ruck.