I am an avid Dragons fan but after the anti climax of last nights game I felt very hollow. For those who didn't see, the Bulldogs made a clean break with 50 seconds left on the clock and linked up to score the match winning try in a great game to watch. HOLD ON!!! Jamie Soward claims he was impeded and naturally the referee has to go to the video ref in Steve Clarke. After watching the replay the 1st time I was swearing and asking how Saints could possibly lose that game. The more times that the replay was watched by this egotist the more hopeful I was that we might get some luck. BINGO! For some unknown reason Clarke said NO TRY and penalty to the Dragons, GAME OVER. For all those watching including myself, it was a certain try. Jamie Soward had an easy shot at Patten on the break and the only thing that stopped him was probably tiredness. I am not blaming Soward for playing it up and appealing for the penalty. The players only play the game they don't make the decisions, sole blame on this fiasco goes to Steve Clarke. Why do we have the video ref if they continually make inconsistent rulings?????
Possibly the worst decision of all time. Did the lebs let him out of Kogarah alive?? Gee there would have been some violence on the train back to Punchbowl!
ReplyDeleteCan the Video ref!....only to be used for grounding in tries.....
ReplyDeletethe video ref should be more like the nfl system, where "judgement" calls like pass interference and holding cant be challenged. They only look at more clear cut things such as did the ball cross the line, or touch the ground, or did the recievers feet hit the ground.
ReplyDeleteIn league, forward passes seem to be the only thing a video ref cant rule on. this should be expanded to other judgement type calls such as obstruction/shepherd. the obstruction rule is becoming a joke in the first place, we've got out of position defenders running into the nearest attacking player and flopping like an Italian soccer player to get the call. It's ridiculous. If it's not obvious enough for the ref to pull it up straight away, it shouldn't be sent upstairs. Only groundings and touch lines should be looked at.