Trent

[mozgrame]

I don't have Sports Ears but a mate of mine does and I listened to a little bit of a Manly V Cowboys game in Townsville one night.

You may remember the game, Manly were ahead and the Cowboys stormed back in the last 20 to almost take the game away from us.

Well at about the 60 minute mark my mate goes to the dunny and says, want to have a listen for a bit....so I did.

Ref ....after just blowing a penalty to Manly..." how many's that now" (to the video ref)....Video ref Manly 12 Cowboys 4....Ref "oooh ok"

The next 8 straight penalties brought the Cowboys from being well down to almost taking it away from us, delivering to Foxports an "exciting game" and delivering a 13-12 Penalty count (we managed one right at the death when Thurston did something stupid and went off at the ref),

Now tell me that's not match tampering!!

I have said this before but I am getting VERY disillusioned with the game as a result of this.

I was at that game and remember it well. I see what you're saying about the refs (rightly so) but we almost got screwed that night by a different "Trent". Trent Hodkinson!! Jamie Lyon was in full control that night and Trent was hopeless. Jamie went off at half time and didn't return, leaving our big scoreline in Trent's hands.

I remember the 40 - nil chant went up in the first half!! Anyway...long story short, Trent was useless and faded into obscurity in no time flat in the second half. Glenn was doing most of the 5th tackle kicks trying to create something. The huge lead slipped and we only just got away with it. Bloody Trented alright!

 

[mosto]

This is the most annoying problem with the game at present. Whenever a team gets out to lead in the penalty count, it inevitably turns around.

I don't subscribe to the whole 'The refs hate Manly' paranoia. But I think why there is that perception is, and this will sound contradicting, that Manly are actually well disciplined despite some of the penalty counts. I don't think we a penalised much at the beginning of games, and have a couple of blokes, Choc in particular, who a brilliant at drawing penalties from the opposition. We then jump out to a lead, both score and penalties, but the refs seem to feel the need to square it up in the second half, when teams are tiring and penalties against you can really hurt. People come away remembering the 7 straight calls against us, rather than the 5 straight we got in the first half.

Unfortunately, most coaches/players will point to the refs, rather than their own ill-discipline, with a lop-sided penalty count. The media jump on the bad wagon because it's controversial, and controversy sells. Refs try to even up the counts to give everyone less ammunition to come at them with. While I don't think the NRL directly condone these square ups, they turn a blind eye as they help reduce blowout scores.

I'd like to know if, in the video reviews the refs do, if each penalty is looked at in isolation, and not taking into account who had the last 5 penalties. I'm all for a ref establishing early on how they want a game played. Blow a penalty to each side early for holding down, off-side etc, so players know what is expected of them. After that, be consistent and look at every potential penalty on it's own merits.

 

[globaleagle]

But surely, if this is happening, AND people are hearing via sports ears.....there'd be more stories on it. Surely more journo's would report on it.

Coach's and players would be outraged...actually the whole playing/team fraternity would be outraged.

I don't get how if this is going on....it's not bigger news?

 

[Duff]

But surely, if this is happening, AND people are hearing via sports ears.....there'd be more stories on it. Surely more journo's would report on it.

Coach's and players would be outraged...actually the whole playing/team fraternity would be outraged.

I don't get how if this is going on....it's not bigger news?

This is what I think too.
It really does look like it happens and I too have noticed that we often tend to get quite a few early penalties.

Surely there would be a disgruntled ex-ref out there who is prepared to blow the lid off this. (Insert whistleblower joke here) I'm sure if it is going on as it looks to be there will be someone who's sick of hearing his name muttered and mumbled every time he leaves the house.

This should be the biggest story in Rugby League. Why does it not seem to rate a mention with the media or the administrators yet fans of all clubs have noticed it and aren't happy?
What do the players think?

 

[EagleFromMay1967]

After that, be consistent and look at every potential penalty on it's own merits.

You, er, we, are in refereeing utopia with that one. It is an ideal. But it shouldn't be.

Is the game so fast that we need two referees? and Video refs besides ?.
I remember the standard of refereeing in the NSWRL era was, or seemed higher. Or was it just that the game was slower, less scrutinized, not on TV as much, ? Slow motion replays are getting to be higher and higher definition enabling all watchers to be more critical.

Excluding Shayne Hayne, it is not clear that the current crop referees exhibit perceivable bias, but it is clear that nearly all of them engage in Penalty count even-ups.

Bring back Keith Page, Col Pearce, but probably NOT Greg H.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

There's an NRL Stats website (might even be called NRLStats.com.au), I was arguing the toss about that Cowboys game with the young fella who worked with me when I had the travel agency in Brissie.

He said "bull**** that doesn't happen you are just a typical Manly whinger"

We argued for a bit and he said, ok lets prove it.

We pulled up the stats on that game, and sure enough at half time Manly had a 55 to 45 percentage share of the ball and where leading the penalty count.

And sure enough after 8 straight penalties (and that's how I know there was 8), and yes the loss of Jamie at half time (as per above post) it ensured the stats ended up very even....and possibly had JT not given the penalty away in the last two minutes they would have won.

It ensured an exciting game, Fox Sports where almost jizzing themselves in commentary BUT it was totally unfair, Manly were by far the better side in the first half and probably would have gone on with it in the second if allowed.

Oh and I agree Trent Dogkinson was horrible that night.

I haven't yet watched the Round 1 game (and probably won't) but I was at that game and it certainly looked like a square up was happening that night as well.

You can almost imagine at half time the Pinkies saying to each other " lets make this a game for the ages and bring these two great sides back together on the score line".

I don't think (well I hope not anyway) its done for betting houses I think they just doing it to create a more exciting game.

 

[shawn.b]

After that, be consistent and look at every potential penalty on it's own merits.

I remember the standard of refereeing in the NSWRL era was, or seemed higher. Or was it just that the game was slower, less scrutinized, not on TV as much, ? Slow motion replays are getting to be higher and higher definition enabling all watchers to be more critical.


Bring back Keith Page, Col Pearce, but probably NOT Greg H.

There as a finals game many years ago when we played Western Suburbs Magpies (yes before they were Wests Tigers) when we had a try disallowed that cost us the game. The next day there was a picture in the papers showing the ball on the line.

These days these pictures are shown within seconds of the incident & live at the ground.

Is it any wonder Ref's are seen as worse when their mistakes are shown immediately & repeatedly.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

The next day there was a picture in the papers showing the ball on the line.

So... the ball was on the ground? Or it wasn't on the ground?
Well unless I'm blind ....

 

[lsz]

If it was such a great conspiracy then it would have to involve a heap of people

All the ref's, linesmen, vid refs past and present, all the other officials involved...and no one has come out to say anything? Not even the refs who have been sacked etc

I am not saying that square ups do not happen but i do not think it is part of some big conspiracy rather it is a result of a number of factors including speed of the game and human nature

 

[Brissie Kid]

There as a finals game many years ago when we played Western Suburbs Magpies (yes before they were Wests Tigers) when we had a try disallowed that cost us the game. The next day there was a picture in the papers showing the ball on the line.

These days these pictures are shown within seconds of the incident & live at the ground.

Is it any wonder Ref's are seen as worse when their mistakes are shown immediately & repeatedly.

Freakie stuff. I'm sure i saw that photo on the web a few days ago! They had an arrow pointing the ball but I didn't know what is was about. I'll try to find it.

---

Found it! It never made sense to me the other day why it was in this great grand finals slideshow.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/gallery-e6frfgjx-1225932896949?page=12

Wests v Manly in 1974 ... Ray Branighan in a sensational 'no try' incident as Steve Slattery disputes possession.

 

[Stevo]

Trent, Trent........Give back me ****en purse

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

If it was such a great conspiracy then it would have to involve a heap of people

All the ref's, linesmen, vid refs past and present, all the other officials involved...and no one has come out to say anything? Not even the refs who have been sacked etc

Little-known fact. When all refs are first graded they get a minute microchip injected which floats to the brain and makes them believe the ball was not on the ground.