Robert Finch: we got it wrong - AGAIN

[zombie jesus]

RUGBY league refereeing lurched into its greatest crisis last night following an admission from the NRL of another catastrophic blunder over the weekend.

Referees boss Robert Finch has conceded Manly were potentially robbed of victory against the Roosters on Sunday when two referees, two touch judges and the video official all missed a blatant foul on Sea Eagles centre Steve Matai before Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored his match-turning eight-point try.

"I wouldn't have awarded a try," Finch said, "that's my honest opinion."

The try was effectively a 10-point turnaround because Manly should have been awarded a penalty in kicking range when Roosters winger Sam Perrett took Matai out without the football. It is the latest in a litany of glaring bungles that has sunk confidence in referees to an all-time low.

Asked if video referee Sean Hampstead would be sacked over the mistake, Finch refused to rule it out, saying: "We'll have a look at it tomorrow when the appointments are made for the weekend."

The match referee Tony Archer will survive because he did his job properly by asking the video ref to adjudicate on the incident. A furious Manly coach Des Hasler was left to lament his team being on the receiving end of its second major stuff-up in three weeks following the Mark Gasnier "try" against the Sea Eagles which led to Bill Harrigan's sacking for one week.

While he refused to comment at his press conference after Sunday's game, Hasler last night told The Daily Telegraph it was a blatant obstruction.

"After talking to Steve Matai and looking at the video there is no doubt he was blatantly taken out of the play by Roosters winger Sam Perrett," Hasler said.

"Then Ben Farrar was prevented from getting to Shaun Kenny-Dowall because Matai was falling in his path. It was clearly obvious on the replay but two on-field referees, two touch judges and a video referee all missed it.

"Our on-field captain Jamie Lyon brought it to the attention of referee Tony Archer immediately behind the tryline. It's refreshing that the referees boss Robert Finch has admitted the error." Manly are also furious over the awarding of the eight-point try when video clearly shows nothing seriously wrong with Lyon's contact on Kenny-Dowall as he was scoring.

Sea Eagles chief executive Graham Lowe said Manly should have received the penalty after Matai was tackled without the ball - a moment which turned the match.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...t-it-wrong-again/story-e6frexnr-1225912087585

 

[Danny-Boy]

IMO this was worse than the Gasnier call.

The obstruction was clear. Matai was held off the ball. Yet the f**kwit known as Sean Hampstead decides to focus on Jamie Lyon trying to stop a try, and awarding a potential 8 point try.

Mistakes happen in league...BUT NOT WHEN YOU f**kEN HAVE CLEAR VIDEO FOOTAGE!

Where do we go from here? This can't keep happening.

 

[TheDalek079]

We know they get it wrong, we don't need an article on that.

What we need an article on is why they got it wrong, and what are they going to do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

We're awarded the fewest amount of penalties in the entire competition. Infact we're awarded so few penalties we're close to breaking the all time season average low of penalties awarded in the NRL, atleast we were before this weekend I'm not sure how it is after yesterday.

Every single point Souffs scored was directly off the back of a refereeing decision in your favour. We had one penalty the entire game inside of Souffs territory.

No, I haven't forgotten at all.

Poor poor Roosters.

 

[Scorpio30]

Yeah, SKD should have thanked Lyon for the full force of a forearm to the base of his skull.

 

[Anon]

A furious Manly coach Des Hasler was left to lament his team being on the receiving end of its second major stuff-up in three weeks following the Mark Gasnier "try"

Was Des also lamenting the major stuff up in the Keiran Foran "try" that came from a gridiron pass from Brent Kite in that same game?

 

[grandorient]

That was definitely a no try and Manly awarded the penalty.

On our own forum, Dragons fans are being accused of whinging. Whinging about poor ref decisions, even when we win.

To me, that is hardly the point and the Matai incident goes to prove that referees can and do highly influence the outcome of games.

Can you imagine the uproar if this type of bad decision cost a team in a sudden death final or the GF. I understand the concept of "good teams beating bad referees" but FFS, if they can't get simple things right (eg Gasnier try, and this issue) how can any team go further with full confidence of our refs.

GO

 

[JoeD]

Another massive error that you aren't hearing about for 2 reasons: the result of the game and the fact it was against the Warriors. Ben Matulino no try on Friday night. Replays clearly show it was a try yet the ref didn't bother to refer it to the video. Given how close the race for the 4th is the 6 points could be the difference between a home semi or not.

 

[lsta5838]

There were probably two dodgy calls to the Panthers last night (and yes, I am a Panthers fan). Our 3rd try should have been a penalty to Dogs - Tighe (from memory) knocked on, and Earl picked it up in front of him.

For our 4th try, I was very worried they would go back and check offside, as I am certain Burns would have been away from marker a tad early, and surely one of the other players would have been inside the 10m.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

Cry me a f**kin river, Manly Scum.

I'd like to see another 10,000 decisions costing Manly Scum games - then it might even up the years the game was run to suit your sh*tty club.

 

[juanfarkall]

If I recall correctly didn't a referee f**kup (outside of salary cap practices) result in Melbourne losing a Grand Final to the Geldings (also with dodgey salary cap practices) a few years ago ?



Time for a f**k Off Funch's Father Campaign methinks.

 

[sretsoor]

That was definitely a no try and Manly awarded the penalty.

would it be a penalty rather than a scrum with Roosters feed as Manly did knock it on first

 

[gronkathon]

In their defence seeing Matai collapse in a heap for no apparant reason has been seen so much that people are immune to it

 

[Dr.J]

Robert Finch's public stance doesn't do anything to appease Roosters supporters that think that he has had a personal thing against the club.

A few weeks ago - when the Roosters copped about five 50/50 or worse video ref decisions in a row - Finch either said nothing or defended the non-defensible ("I was OK with the decision to award the Broncos a try".....even when subsequent replays clearly showed Folau spilling the ball).

As referees boss you need to be consistent (which is what everyone asks). The Matai possible obstruction was a 50/50 that went the Roosters way. It wasn't a 100/0 wrong decision. Perrett attempted to tackle on suspicion (which is what players do in every defensive set and rarely get penalised for), he pulled out of the tackle early, Matai may not have got anywhere near Kenny-Dowall because he was bolting in the other direction when he hit Perrett and, not for the first time, Matai exaggerated the degree of contact massively (to the extent of calling for the Medicab and then sending it away once the video decision was made). The 8 point try was another 50/50 that went the Roosters way as well in the same play. But there were decisions in the game that went Manly's way as well (Stewart non-send-off).

If Finch is going to comment occasionally about 'wrong' decisions, the problem is that by implication he agrees with decisions where he doesn't comment. Does the fact that he didn't say anything about the Stewart tackle mean that he thought that it wasn't a send off?

 

[Gaba]

matai was clutching at his shoulder and head again in a game

 

[Danish]

Actually, the correct decision was no try, scrum to the roosters. committing obstruction after a knock on does not nullify the knock on.

Jesus christ even when Finch is correcting an incorrect decision he still gets it wrong.

Interesting as well that he did not comment on the non-send off of Stewart.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

f**k Manly, they robbed us of a finals spot in 2005 from sh*t refereeing by Mander so hopefully they're eliminated this year by sh*t refereeing.

Poor poor Roosters.

What does the Souffs game have to do with the Manly game? Are you forgetting a week later against the Dogs Badger tried to rob us blind or their best efforts to keep Brisbane alive a week later?

f**k off troll.

 

[RufusRex]

Matai - the boy who cried wolf?

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I've been saying for years that Finch needs to go. He has given referees far to many responsibilities out on the field that is making their jobs far to difficult. Rather than being in the background, referees are now the center piece of games.

 

[sharko]

The worst case scenarios start to arise this weekend..refereeing blunders will cost a team a top 8 spot and no amount of apologising from Finch, Harrigan or the glorified idiots in the middle will make up for it.

Alas they will not learn, and a semi final or god forbid the grand final could be decided by a refs shocker..I do hope it is not the case..having said that there are teams playing in the semis who are now coached to play for 4th and 5th tackle penlaties to get cheap metres and set up for another attck...I wish they would leave that sort of sh*t for soccer but I think it is here to stay in the NRL.