6 replies to this topic

[Carr Millite]

I didn't go so don't know but what did we concede a penalty for so late in the game and just after Sean Long had give us the lead courtesy of a drop goal?

[splus]

No. Refereeing cost us. I don't usually query ref decisions that much. We all know that, on the ground, with our Saints glasses on the referee is always wrong. Equally, we know that when we get home and watch the recording (when it is on tv), the ref didn't have a bad game after all. Tonight though, there were some really odd decisions. I don't know why we had a superb try disallowed, or why they were given the deciding penalty.

[donkey o'tay]

The deciding penalty was given for Graham not being square. He wasn't square, it was a fair penalty. Maybe the only correct decision the ref made all night.

[Alan]

Refereeing is such an emotive subject in RL. I rarely hear the ref get a mention in soccer or kick and clap but, even in the amateur game, spectator dissent at decisions is endemic. I went to watch Barrow v Keighley this afternoon, two semi-pro teams. I thought it was a great game and never gave the officials a second thought until walking to my car with a couple of Keighley supporters, who, having watched their team get well beaten, told me how bent the officials were! It's a ritual for losing sides!

[llanyb]

Speaking as an ex ref, I've always been surprised to come across RL players or spectators who actually know the rules. I can understand that rules like "a player can't be off-side in his/her own in-goal area" might not be well-known 'cos they might be rarely needed, but the fact that forward passes are judged relative to the players, taking account of their forward movement and NOT relative to the ground ought to be known and understood by everyone. However . . . ask the typical player or speccy . . .

[Alan]

The problem with spectators' understanding of the forward pass rule is everything to do with Sky TV Stevo's half-arsed attempt at explanation of it, in my opinion.

[Carr Millite]

At Saints we shout 'forward' for about twenty opposition passes a game.
Whether they are or not!