We have often heard great coaches over the years like the late Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett mutter the phrase “Rugby League is a simple game”. And so it is. A sport played between two teams, with the aim to score more points than your opposition and possessing the ability to defend points from being conceded. Sounds pretty simple right? Enter the Game’s 106th year of existence, and Rugby League has become anything but simple.
The game that was built of attrition, stamina, endurance and drew comparisons to that of a gladiatorial contest has morphed into a complex beast, which is now being tarnished by complex changes, rules and continued alterations to the laws of the game is hurting the product, bewildering coaches, players, officials and media commentators and making fans and members disgruntled at the nonsensical and irrational decisions that the officials throw up week in week out.
These constant and continued rule changes and complicating what Gibson, Bennett and many others refer to as a ‘simple game’. Modern day and for the past few years, the game has seen a shift in the style of play; the evolution of structure, systems and shape most teams play with, which include block plays, second man diversions in order to try to fool an opposition defensive line, to catch a misread or a lazy defender in order to score points.
As a result, the law makers of our game, decided to come up with a concept that is now a consistent issue that no one seems to have a clear understanding of, with every so called expert and official, be it a referee, touch judge or video referee having their own interpretation of what is and what is not an obstruction. The Game last year revised the obstruction rule to apparently, take out the ‘grey’ area of the rule, making it less complicated and easier to understand.
The simplest explanation of what an actual obstruction is in Rugby League, is a player who acts as a block runner or old school decoy who shapes to get the ball but does not, who runs into the defensive line, makes contact with a opposition defender, either taking the player out or impeding the defender from making a tackle in proximity of the ball runner. Sort of sounds pretty straightforward right? Wrong. This rule is causing more damage, more heartache and more hairlines to recede than one would tend to think.
In Round 7 alone, we have seen 2 controversial obstruction calls referred to the video ref. The first was in the Canterbury-Bankstown and South Sydney fixture, where a player who shapes as a block runner runs through a hole but does not making any contact whatsoever with an opposition defenders and the second, was in the Manly-Nth QLD Game where Cowboys hooker Ray Thompson was impeded by a Sea Eagles block runner, which inhibited Thompson a fair and equitable opportunity to make a tackle on the eventual try scorer, Jamie Buhrer.
As to the rule book, the first example was not an obstruction, but was deemed to be one; whilst the second was a blatant obstruction, yet was given the green light for a Manly try, which inevitably cost Nth QLD the Game. And let’s not even mention the tunnel ball from Manly Fullback Brett Stewart that went forward through his legs resulting in Manly receiving another set of six tackles, in the lead up to the controversial try that robbed the Cowboys of not only momentum but inevitably victory. Nth QLD captain summed it up best when asked post game what his thoughts were on the controversial decisions stating “When you’re wearing a Cowboys jersey, you get used to it” referring to the third incident in three years that deprived Nth QLD of victory; the two previous occurrences happening in a Finals game in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
The incompetence of the officialdom is deplorable, embarrassing and down right pathetic of a billion dollar game, that aspires to be a market leader in sport and entertainment. Not only is the obstruction rule crippling and hurting sides and the product, so is the professionalism of the current crop of referees. It seems that with all the technology available they continue to keep getting it wrong. Players and Coaches can forgive human error.
But with all the technology at the disposal to the referees, through multiple replays from various camera angles, the officials have managed to complicate the process through video referees told to look for conclusive evidence when a decision from the on ground referees send a try upstairs for review. Some of the decisions from the video officials have been ludicrous. It seems that common sense in majority of the decisions handed down is lacking, be it through an obstruction call, or through a player scoring a try where common sense suggests that some part of the steeden has touched the ground, yet due to the on field referees having no confidence in backing themselves, and because they have not visibly seen the ball touch the ground, regardless if no one is under the player or not, a video ref will adjudicate as such, producing a blunder of a decision which leaves players, coaches, officials and fans scratching their heads.
Examples of such malapropisms included a denied effort by Manly’s Steve Matai last season who crossed the line with a South Sydney defender on him, where on visual sight and shot, suggests that he got some part of the ball down, yet because there was no accurate vision of the ball touching the ground in the in goal area, they denied Matai which should have been a try. A more recent incident occurred in the Round 7 Canberra-Melbourne contest, where Storm winger Sisa Waqa crossed for a try in the corner only to be denied by the video ref, due to the on field referee and touch judge not sure of he got the ball down when diving for the corner.
Multiple replays suggest that Waqa not only got the ball down on the line, but the ball also touched the ground before he slid into touch in the in goal area. Common sense suggested that was the case, but yet again, ‘No Try’ was the decision thanks to the on field referee’s opinion was that it was a no try and the video referee not finding any supposed conclusive evidence to overturn the on field referees initial decision. It left the Channel 9 commentary team stunned, with immortals in Wally Lewis and Andrew Johns baffled and perplexed at the decision.
The Storm have now being involved in 3 consecutive games which has resulted in contrevsial decisions. The first against the Gold Coast a fortnight earlier, which saw Titans prop Luke Douglas lose the ball in a tackle through a lazy and loose carry, where the referee assumed that the spilt ball was a result of a strip, which gifted the Gold Coast victory. Replays showed that it was as such, as loose carry. Where was the video ref in all of this? Surely they technology could have been used to overturn the decision prior to Greg Bird taking the penalty goal. Again, common sense was avoided and unfair decision cost Melbourne victory.
Last week, a game riddled wit controversy. A forward pass was called, which was in fact not forward, resulting in Referees Boss Tony Archer issuing an apology. An offside call went unnoticed which led to a Trent Merrin try, and a simultaneous play the ball with the final siren resulting in Melbourne stealing victory from St.George Illawarra. Again, an apology was issued. But when will the NRL understand that a simple “we’re sorry, we got it wrong” will not suffice. It is detrimental to these clubs on an array of fronts.
Such decisions such as the no try no Waqa, the allowed try to Buhrer, the denied try to Bulldogs winger Corey Thompson are game changers. Such a decision can halt an attacking teams momentum and confidence, whilst shifting it to the opposition. Many will state and claim that such decisions should not matter, as teams have 80 minutes to win a game of football and surely had other opportunities and instances during the course of the game to win. But for anyone who has ever laced on a boot at any level, would be able to understand that one decision is enough to change to the complexity of the game, providing benefit to a team. Momentum shifts provide energy, drive and much needed ‘oomph’ for a team that was on the back foot at one point or for majority of the contest.
Waqa’s disallowed try would have put Melbourne potentially 10 points in front with 7 minutes remaining, which would have seen the Storm close out the game and ensure victory. But they never got that opportunity and it allowed the Raiders back into the game and consequently shifted momentum their way, allowing them to secure victory. Just as the Buhrer try for the Sea Eagles broke the hearts and spirits of the Cowboys, providing Manly with the upper hand of momentum.
The poor officialdom that is hindering Rugby League and its contests is eliminating the fairness out of the product. Instead of games being decided by the players, it is being decided by poor referring decisions. As a result, fans have become frustrated and disillusioned with the continued pitiful decisions, which are ruining the game, costing their team a shot at victory. Is it any wonder why crowds are continuing to dwindle? Supporters have had a royal gutful of the incompetence and are voting with their feet and their remote controls, with not only crowd attendances down, television ratings are also falling. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to work out or come to the conclusion that people are losing interest in the game because of the poor unprofessionalism that is the current standard of referring.
And what about the impact it has on clubs? Who’s to say that both the Cowboys, Storm and the after their controversial loss to Wests Tigers, the Eels who were on the receiving end of poor decisions, might now miss the Finals as a direct consequence? Those 2 points might mean the difference between a top 4 spot, top 8 or missing the finals by 2 points. Hypotheticals, yes, but it is possible. Missing the finals can cost a club lucrative financial windfall. It may also have other negative ramifications such as not being able to attract commercial opportunities because a lack of success; not secure or increase membership because fans have become disenchanted with the Game; poor and disappointing crowd figures, all potential facets and channels of revenue can ultimately be affected which can severely affect a club’s sustainability and viability.
Everyone in the game seemed to have laughed at the expense of Manly coach’s Geoff Toovey’s infamous blow up in last year’s press conference where he proclaimed that “there needs to be an investigation, someone needs to be accountable for this” referring to the shocking decision not to award the Steve Matai try amongst other eyebrow raising decisions throughout the course of the contest. 12 months on, the Game is not laughing now. Maybe Toovey had a point. The word accountable was again used by Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy after Sundays controversial loss who has called upon the game to act in light of the continuous referring errors. Whilst Eels Coach Brad Arthur stated that he doesn’t know “what an obstruction is anymore”, as Parramatta Captain Jarryd Hayne called for consistency.
The NRL has a mighty task on its hands to rectify the current predicament or atrocious officialdom. What’s the answer? What’s the solution? What’s the remedy? Perhaps they should start at the very beginning and work their way from there; that being that remembering the generalisation muttered by legendary coaches and players that Rugby League is a ‘simple game’. Do away with the intricate and distorted laws, employ and implement what all Rugby League players, coaches, administrators and fans long to see make an immediate return, that being some much needed ‘common sense’ back into the game.
Written by @DWATSONHAYES
(Top Photo courtesy of http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2014/04/21/1226891/031695-2ce3a5fe-c8e8-11e3-9484-00a97bf135c7.jpg)
