Re: Penalties conceded. : Wed May 25, 2016 8:31 am  

I guess the fact that we see things differently illustrates the difficulty of refereeing a game with consistency - although they are paid to do it, so you'd hope at least for a more uniform interpretation of the rules.

I've been saying for several years that the game has got away from referees - coaches have become so adept at twisting and bending the rules, particularly around the ruck, that the sport is becoming painful to watch at times; when the contest is based on who can slow down the ruck or milk penalties, you know there's something up.

I would suggest, as I do every year, that the RFL, referees and coaches need to get together over the off-season to thrash out exactly how these crucial elements of the game will be refereed; make it very clear to coaches what is, and isn't, acceptable, then penalise the bejesus out of teams at the start of the season until they get the message. Back to back penalties and the odd sin-binning would educate them very quickly.

Re: Penalties conceded. : Wed May 25, 2016 9:43 am  

bren2k wrote:

I guess the fact that we see things differently illustrates the difficulty of refereeing a game with consistency - although they are paid to do it, so you'd hope at least for a more uniform interpretation of the rules.

I've been saying for several years that the game has got away from referees - coaches have become so adept at twisting and bending the rules, particularly around the ruck, that the sport is becoming painful to watch at times; when the contest is based on who can slow down the ruck or milk penalties, you know there's something up.

I would suggest, as I do every year, that the RFL, referees and coaches need to get together over the off-season to thrash out exactly how these crucial elements of the game will be refereed; make it very clear to coaches what is, and isn't, acceptable, then penalise the bejesus out of teams at the start of the season until they get the message. Back to back penalties and the odd sin-binning would educate them very quickly.

I agree with your sentiment here. I would like the same BUT with so much money at stake and the desperation not to be in the middle 8's I feel that coaches and players will always try to find ways to get an advantage, legal or otherwise. Managers want to keep their jobs, chairmen want to keep crowds coming, fans want their team near the top etc. etc. I'm not sure how we get rid of it. Certainly your ideas would be a start.