Poupou Escobar
Post Whore
- Messages
- 91,379
We'll put 40 on the Warriors next week. Either that or they'll fire up and play well with no pressure.
#splinters
#splinters
Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Hmmm. Good point.
He's not a team man. Goes for glory more than following the coaches instructions
He is kidding himself, laughable coming from the biggest grub in the game who would do anything to gain an unfair advantage.Cam Smith puts the refs on notice that they need to watch out for antics from other clubs milking penalties.
Has to be a gee up.
Refs have to be smarter than staging players: Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith
The Storm will play for the minor premiership in their final round clash with second-placed Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park on Saturday night and hope to draw another bumper crowd with their game the only elite level football match in Melbourne this weekend due to the AFL's pre-finals bye.
But with the NRL Finals about to begin, Smith is worried by the trend of players fooling referees with staging or other hijinks.
In the Storm's loss to Brisbane Broncos last round, Smith uncharacteristically lost his temper with referees after Brisbane's Anthony Milford picked up the ball from dummy half then threw it directly into Storm player Kenny Bromwich who was laying prone on the ground after making a tackle.
The referee penalised Bromwich for being offside and interfering with the play and this is what infuriated Smith whose remonstrations earned an additional 10-metre penalty for referee abuse.
Smith admitted he lost his cool in the moment but was worried such incidents could reappear during the finals.
"A little bit. We're seeing them," Smith said on Monday at a Storm press conference at the vacant MCG.
"[There were] some things in our game the other night which I think most people would say was playing against the spirit of the game.
AFL-free zone: Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith (right) has called for a big crowd for their minor-premiership deciding clash against Cronulla Sharks as there is no AFL on. Photo: Darrian Traynor
"But the referee has an obligation to referee the game properly too.
"The players will get away with it if the referees keep giving them opportunities to do so. Look it's unfortunate but we can only control what we do on the field. We'll let the referees worry about their job."
Smith said NRL supporters would be watching closely to see if such decisions continued during the finals.
"The one thing that players and coaches and fans always ask for is consistency, so if the same things are happening every week then I'd like them to adjudicate it every week the same," he said.
"The one incident that happened on the weekend that I wasn't happy with, I spoke to the referee about it," he said.
"I was quite frustrated and I had a different sort of view on it then what the referee had on it.
"We'll see what happens and hopefully that doesn't happen again for the rest of the season."
Sharks stars like Michael Ennis and Paul Gallen are known for their taunting, referee pressure and physical play - three things Smith said the Storm had to be ready for come Saturday night.
"We played Cronulla quite early in the year up in Sydney and they played a really aggressive style of footy that night," Smith said.
"They really got stuck into us. I don't expect too much different this Saturday night to be honest, so it really comes down to the way we handle their physicality and aggression.
"I don't think we handled it that well the first time we played them. But if we do, we are a really good chance of playing well and wining the match."
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...rm-captain-cameron-smith-20160829-gr3gem.html
yep, and it won QLD a penalty in a close game.
