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Craig HillThe Sunday Rant - NRL Referees
October 8th 2006 00:42
Each and every Sunday, www.league.net.au will pass judgement on some of the more controversial incidents of the previous rounds action. While you may not agree with some of our views, please feel free to let us know by clicking on the add comments tab provided under each story.
Cheers,
StephenP
Refereeing Standards
It seem everyone has an opinion on the form of our leading referees, and we here at www.league.net.au are no different. The controversy surrounding the alleged poor performance of referee Paul Simpkins in last Sundays NRL grand final, has brought the game back into a negative spotlight, when we should celebrating one of the closest seasons on record.
In this growing age of technological advancement, modern day referees performances and decisions are scrutinised more heavily than any in any other rugby league era. Not only are they ‘wired for sound’ for the alleged entertainment of the viewing public, but they also have to contend with multiple camera angles of specific incidents being replayed continually on our television sets, and also on the big screens at every home ground. The controlling referee does not have the luxury of viewing countless replays before making his decision – he is forced into making a spilt second decision on the spot, and then having to deal with the repercussions of justifying his decision, if it is deemed that he has made a crucial human error.
Why are we crucifying the men who are paid to control one of the fastest games of sport on the planet? The mainstream media does not highlight every single mistake that every single player is guilty of making throughout any given match, so why are we continually targeting the plight of our on field officials? We don’t criticise our expert commentators as loudly if they make a mistake during their commentary, and neither do we criticise the ‘expert gossip’ columnists of certain particular media outlets, if they make an incorrect call regarding player movements between club to club. So why are we picking on the men who are an important necessity to the future of our game? Remember, without referees, there is no game.
Once again, we here at www.league.net.au have a radical proposal to hopefully eradicate some of the more controversial refereeing interpretations in our game. Let us break some of these ideas down for you:-
1. Forward Passes – to be adjudicated on only be the referee and the touch judges – while we are at it, lets have four sideline officials- two on each side of the field, and one in each half. This way, the two ‘touchies’ in the attacking half can make decisions on offside, forward passes and touch finding kicks, whilst the two ‘touchies’ in the other half of the field can adjudicate on incidents of foul play in back play.
2. Referees Call in Video Referee’s box – get rid of the ‘Ref’s Call’ button. If the video referee can’t make a decision, than just declare no try. If the on field referee is unsure as to whether or not it was a try, and if the video referee can’t determine it was arty either, than declare No Try, and play on.
Other ideas for technological use will be reviewed by us in the coming days – so be sure to check back through the week.
Players off season schedule
Why don’t the NRL make players and coaching staff from each club, sit an ARL sanctioned refereeing course for a week over their off-season? If the NRL is serious about curbing the perceived attitude of players towards officials, than what better way to bridge that gap, than having the players themselves having to experience a week of referee training?
Our idea is that for each NRL club to donate one week out of their off season, for their top 25 players to spend a week training with the NRL first grade referees, with each individual player and coach than required to sit their refereeing certificate at the culmination of the week. This will not only remind players of contentious rules that they may have forgotten over their careers, but also a chance for the players to get to know the referees on a more personal level, thus hopefully ensuring that they direct a bit more respect towards the officials.
*Photos courtesy of Paul Simpkins courtesy of www.sportal.com.au
Cheers,
StephenP
Cheers,
StephenP
Refereeing Standards
It seem everyone has an opinion on the form of our leading referees, and we here at www.league.net.au are no different. The controversy surrounding the alleged poor performance of referee Paul Simpkins in last Sundays NRL grand final, has brought the game back into a negative spotlight, when we should celebrating one of the closest seasons on record.
Why are we crucifying the men who are paid to control one of the fastest games of sport on the planet? The mainstream media does not highlight every single mistake that every single player is guilty of making throughout any given match, so why are we continually targeting the plight of our on field officials? We don’t criticise our expert commentators as loudly if they make a mistake during their commentary, and neither do we criticise the ‘expert gossip’ columnists of certain particular media outlets, if they make an incorrect call regarding player movements between club to club. So why are we picking on the men who are an important necessity to the future of our game? Remember, without referees, there is no game.
Once again, we here at www.league.net.au have a radical proposal to hopefully eradicate some of the more controversial refereeing interpretations in our game. Let us break some of these ideas down for you:-
1. Forward Passes – to be adjudicated on only be the referee and the touch judges – while we are at it, lets have four sideline officials- two on each side of the field, and one in each half. This way, the two ‘touchies’ in the attacking half can make decisions on offside, forward passes and touch finding kicks, whilst the two ‘touchies’ in the other half of the field can adjudicate on incidents of foul play in back play.
2. Referees Call in Video Referee’s box – get rid of the ‘Ref’s Call’ button. If the video referee can’t make a decision, than just declare no try. If the on field referee is unsure as to whether or not it was a try, and if the video referee can’t determine it was arty either, than declare No Try, and play on.
Other ideas for technological use will be reviewed by us in the coming days – so be sure to check back through the week.
Players off season schedule
Why don’t the NRL make players and coaching staff from each club, sit an ARL sanctioned refereeing course for a week over their off-season? If the NRL is serious about curbing the perceived attitude of players towards officials, than what better way to bridge that gap, than having the players themselves having to experience a week of referee training?
Our idea is that for each NRL club to donate one week out of their off season, for their top 25 players to spend a week training with the NRL first grade referees, with each individual player and coach than required to sit their refereeing certificate at the culmination of the week. This will not only remind players of contentious rules that they may have forgotten over their careers, but also a chance for the players to get to know the referees on a more personal level, thus hopefully ensuring that they direct a bit more respect towards the officials.
*Photos courtesy of Paul Simpkins courtesy of www.sportal.com.au
Cheers,
StephenP
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Comment by kerrodhall
Some of you may know of a sport that is very popular today - Touch Football...bear with me, this is a warrented suggestion...
While I do not want Rugby League to turn into Touch, I think some of the tactics used by Touch referees SHOULD be employed by the NRL and indeed Rugby League worldwide.
In Touch, there are three referees, just like in Rugby League (two on the sideline, one in the middle) however, when the play is close to the sideline, the on-feild referee swaps with the sideline referee. This way, all three referees rotate throughout the game allowing them to crack down on anythign that they notice from the sideline. This happens at speed and DOES NOT result in the stopping of the game for this process to happen. There are no flags used by Touch referees, so that rules out any changing over of equipment.
I believe that a similar thing has been trialled by the NRL a few years ago, but they decided that the referee had to stop the game and tell the captains that he was going off. THIS WILL NOT WORK, it must be done without stopping of play, just like in Touch. A game of Touch is faster then League, and the referees are constantly swapping with each other.
One thing that you should be aware of is the fact that when on the sideline, a Touch referee does not stop participating. They still keep moving and talking to both the players and the on-feild referee.
The total process means that at the end of the game, it should work out that each referee controlled 1/3rd of the game.
I belive that the process of having 1 on-field referee and 2 touch-judges is outdated and is the cause of many of the issues associated with the game of Rugby League today. I think that it is time the NRL introduced the same refereeing system that is being used succesfully by Touch Football throughout the world. There are many cross-code referees that participate in both Touch Football and Rugby League, and from the majority that I have spoken to, they all seem to agree with me that the NRL should change its refereeing system to the Touch Referees system.
For those Rugby League officials who are reading this and agree with me, pass the message around to everyone and let them know that there are options availble that WILL improve the game that we all love to watch - Rugby League!
Comment by StephenP
What a briiliant post! You obviously have a fantastic insight into one of sports hardest and least rewarding jobs, and a couple of your points make a hell of a lot of sense.
I totally agree with your point that the NRL is to quick a game to continue with one central referee, and whilst your idea is slightly out of left field, it makes a hell of alot of sense.
You are correct in saying that the NRL did trial a second referee in res-season matches a few years ago, and from all reports it had some merit. The main arguement against the use of a defending and attacking referee on the field at the same time is that the referees will get in the way of the players - a bit funny considering the games current obstruction rule plight!!
Cheers,
StephenP
Comment by the_larrikin
If Bird can get 8 weeks for a late hit that was just inches away from when he kicked the ball why didn't Monigan get sent from the field for the 5 metre late hit he put on Josh Morris? Were if the fuck is consistancy?