RL Grand Final

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S

Snuka

Premiership Player
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Jan 5, 2006
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Brisbane
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Brisbane Lions
Now this is a bit of old news now but it was surprising to me at the time and I just want to know what you guys think...

I guess you could say that I am a Broncos fan although admittedly am not so interested as I am about the Aussie Rules and the Lions. Most Qlders I would think still have a little interest in RL since we grew up with it, especially around State of Origin time so I hope you guys can give me your opinions.

I listened to the RL GF on SEN and was obviously pretty happy with the result. I must admit i'm a bit of a sucker for SEN, since I obviously don't get to hear a lot of football talk where I am. While listening I didn't think much about the referee's decisions, since the commentators that were on (I think it was Ray Hadley, maybe Blocker aswell on 2BC?, so they were not SEN/Melbourne commentators) didn't seem to mention much about it. What surprised me was that as soon as they got back to the SEN show was how the general opinion was that they were 'robbed' and that the ref basically gave the flag to Brisbane.

Since I didn't watch the match, I just wanted you guys opinion on whether it was really that bad? Every time SEN brought it up afterwards in that week, it was referred to as a 'controversial match'. It seems that this is only the view of the Melbourne media. To suggest bias towards the Broncos me is crazy, since we all know how the Sydney RL fraternity feel about Qld and the Broncs.
So, what do you guys think? Were Melbourne robbed?
 
Melbourne should feel very hard done by, but I thought the disallowed try was indeed a knock on so that decision was unfairly criticised.

Probably the worst decision was the opening penalty goal where a knock on was called a strip. 8 point play because Melbourne were going to score up the other end.
 

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There were essentially four "contentious" calls by the ref during the match and all four, arguably disadvantaged the Melbourne Storm.

This is my view of the four "contentious" calls

1) The first penalty goal to the Broncos- the "strip" gainst Slater on the goal line.

The Broncos player (Berrigan?) made a lunge toward the goal line and the next thing Slater has it and is making a break downfield.

Slo-mo replays suggested that the Bronco actually "lost" the ball in the tackle.....but put yourself in the Ref's position...........it was a "multiple" tackle and the rules say that a "strip" is illegal unless it is one-on-one.

In the tangle of bodies that occurred, it's perfectly understandable that the Ref coudn't see the "bobble" of the ball that the slo-mo picked up.

The other point, which I have heard no-one acknowledge.....is that whilst the Bronco player apparantly lost control of the ball momentarily, if you watched the replay closely, there is a good case that he actually regained control before Slater grabbed it.

Verdict: Hard luck..... maybe he lost it, maybe he didn't.....but the Ref has to apply the rules as he sees it at the time.....and he didn't have access to, nor was he entitled to call for a replay in those circumstances.

2) the "Hand of God" touch on the ball by Hodges from a pass from a Storm player...the ball subsequently going out and then a scrum feed being awarded to Brisbane.

I defy anyone to state that in real time they definately saw Hodges touch it. Once gain, the Ref just called it as he saw it....the slo-mo proved the Ref to be wrong ............however....as far as I know, the Ref does nothave the right to call for a video ruling for "general play" decisions and in any case, he didn't have any reason to think he may have been wrong.

If the Ref missed it, then so did the touch judge.....so it must have been hard to call.

Verdict: Once again, hard luck Melbourne Storm.

3) The "no-try" ruling against Matt King

I must admit, my first impression in real time was that it was a fair try.

...but there were a number of "arms" flying around the ball before it hit the ground so the Ref did what is standard practice and referred it to the Video Ref....couldn't see a problem there.

Then we get the obligatory 23 slo-mo's and the question arises...."did King (maybe) have the last touch on the ball before it hit the ground???"

I thought the spirit of the rule in RL was that unless it was conclusive, then the benefit of the doubt was supposed to go to the attacking side.

So......in my view, it should have been given a try because I thought on the "evidence", no-one could say one way or another.

But no.....it's ruled "No Try" and "play the ball" to the Broncos

On balance, I think this was a bum call.....not by the Field Ref ....but by the Vidoe Ref.

If anyone should have been criticised, it should have been the video Ref.

Verdict: Melbourne Storm definately "robbed"....however, the whinges should have been directed at the Video ref and not at Simpkins.

4). The missed "obstruction".

This is where Lockyer clearly ran behind one of his own players and then the Broncos subsequently got a penalty shot at goal right in front for a high tackle in the same play.

Clear error by the REF..............and a bad one too.

Came at a bad time for the Storm because (I think) they had levelled the scores at 8-all shortly before that.

Verdict: worst "miss" by the REf all night and possibly altered the course of the game.


Overall: not much doubt that the better side won but Storm have some grounds for grief.

Mostly circumstances and bad luck apart from the missed shepherd.


As they say......."that's Footy".
 
I bit someones head off, on this Board as they posted something about Brisbane 'football' supremecy. I was really pi$$ed off after the game it was an absolute disgrace, came here thinking it might settle me down, & copped that.

The block was an absolute disgrace & when it happened I was going nuts at the TV. Extremely frustrating that anything that could have been construed as 50/50 went the Broncos way.

Melbourne were far from their best, some of this was due to the Broncos but honestly they really still should have won given some reasonable calls.

I don't think ppl from other states appreciate how big the refs calls have been in the news down here (especially in Qld). I can tell you its been in the news all week & while playing it down the Storm are still fuming.

As Luthor stated unfortunately thats footy.
 
Bobby Beecroft said:
I bit someones head off, on this Board as they posted something about Brisbane 'football' supremecy. I was really pi$$ed off after the game it was an absolute disgrace, came here thinking it might settle me down, & copped that.

The block was an absolute disgrace & when it happened I was going nuts at the TV. Extremely frustrating that anything that could have been construed as 50/50 went the Broncos way.

Melbourne were far from their best, some of this was due to the Broncos but honestly they really still should have won given some reasonable calls.

I don't think ppl from other states appreciate how big the refs calls have been in the news down here (especially in Qld). I can tell you its been in the news all week & while playing it down the Storm are still fuming.

As Luthor stated unfortunately thats footy.
Click to expand...

I understand how you feel.

Being Brisbane born and raised , I was once an avid RL follower (about 20-30years ago) and in their early years, I followed the Broncos fairly keenly.

That's until I discovered Aussie Rules and the Brisbane Bears/Lions....but that's another story.

These days, I still take a passing interest in the Rugby League but my passion for the game and the Broncos has long since departed.

Maybe that's why I can now watch a RL game from what is essentailly an unbiased or dispasionate point of view....as opposed to my total lack of control when I'm fervently involved in a Brisbane Lions game :eek:

The problem as I see it for the NRL with their "Showpiece" game ....the GF the other night is that they were making a big deal of selling the game to the Melbourne TV viewing public.

If there's one thing to disillusion an "emerging market", it's having that market come to the belief that the "officials" and/or the "Establishment" are against you.

To draw a parallell, I reckon lot's of Aussies who were starting to warm to Soccer in the last World Cup, were instantly turned off it after that appalling last minute penalty that saw us booted out in that fiasco against the Italians

I was.

On the other hand, you could argue that the controversy just helps spark interest.

Interested in your thoughts BB
 
Thanks for the replies fellas. I was just shocked at the reaction of some of the radio callers and announcers for days afterwards. I was initially very spectical as you can imagine. If I hear a caller refer to the game as 'rugby' an complain about the decisions, then i'm inclined to think he's just a sore loser. And I think I heard David Schwarz say along the lines of 'I don't know much about the game, but I reckon we was hard done by'.

Sounds like there was actually some merit in the collective whinging. I heard somewhere that Harrigan was the video ref? If so, there was no way you could blame bias, maybe just incompetence.
 
luthor said:
There you go again....making a spectacle of yourself:D ;)
Click to expand...

I have a habit of doing that. I need some work on my spelling...not to mention english, maths, smoking and drinking problems and all round general social skills.:eek:
 
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