Officiating 2025

hodgo

Well-known member
Genuine discussion piece

is it the ref's and officiating that is bad or is it the lack of black and white rules allowing to much interpretation.

I have been thinking about this alot and really would love to hear peoples opinions.

I actually think the game is over policed with grey interpretations of rules that used to be black and white.

Examples a Shepard as opposed to running behind but not taking advantage.

6 again instead of a penalty.

Running to the outside shoulder.

I think that there are to many interpretation rules that can be different from person to person. Need this fixed I think for consistency
 
The NRL is set to review comments by Benji Marshall following his side’s loss to Penrith on Sunday afternoon after backing two contentious calls that the Wests Tigers coach labelled as “outrageous”.

Marshall was fuming after his side was beaten in a tight contest at CommBank Stadium, his anger amplified by two calls that went against Tigers half Jarome Luai in the second half.

Luai was pinged for a late tackle on Blaize Talagi when the scores were 10-10, handing the Panthers the opportunity to give the Panthers a 12-10 lead, and then Penrith scored off an escort penalty against the Tigers captain.

The NRL reviewed both calls on Monday morning and backed them both.

“Having reviewed the vision of both incidents from multiple angles, the NRL is of the view that both decisions are correct,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said.

“It’s clear from the vision that Jarome Luai props on his left foot and turns his back to initiate contact with Liam Martin.

“Regarding the contact on kicker Blaize Talagi, the rules are very clear, and have been reinforced with clubs on multiple occasions over recent seasons.

“Players have a duty of care to avoid dangerous contact with kickers who are in the process of kicking and in a vulnerable position.

“We see multiple examples every week where defenders have adjusted their technique to apply pressure to kickers without going through with the tackle.

“This is a player safety policy which has been in place for a number of years.”

It is understood the NRL will review Marshall’s comments after the completion of the round, having earlier this year outlined their plans to clamp down on criticism of the match officials.

Gold Coast coach Des Hasler was issued with a final warning last week after criticism of the video official Kasey Bunker.

North Queensland coach Todd Payten has also been warned over criticism of match officials this season. Marshall is the latest coach in the crosshairs as the NRL follows through on their vow to provide greater protection of the match officials.
 
This won't be popular but when you see someone is going to kick the ball, which is always a number of metres away, you pull out of the tackle. Pressuring is fine.

Always err on the side of caution. Luai should have done this and the other one. He's a million dollar player, he should know better.

I think people think refs have more say on the outcome then they do. 9/10 the best team wins, regardless of the ref.
 
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The NRL is set to review comments by Benji Marshall following his side’s loss to Penrith on Sunday afternoon after backing two contentious calls that the Wests Tigers coach labelled as “outrageous”.

Marshall was fuming after his side was beaten in a tight contest at CommBank Stadium, his anger amplified by two calls that went against Tigers half Jarome Luai in the second half.

Luai was pinged for a late tackle on Blaize Talagi when the scores were 10-10, handing the Panthers the opportunity to give the Panthers a 12-10 lead, and then Penrith scored off an escort penalty against the Tigers captain.

The NRL reviewed both calls on Monday morning and backed them both.

“Having reviewed the vision of both incidents from multiple angles, the NRL is of the view that both decisions are correct,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said.

“It’s clear from the vision that Jarome Luai props on his left foot and turns his back to initiate contact with Liam Martin.

“Regarding the contact on kicker Blaize Talagi, the rules are very clear, and have been reinforced with clubs on multiple occasions over recent seasons.

“Players have a duty of care to avoid dangerous contact with kickers who are in the process of kicking and in a vulnerable position.

“We see multiple examples every week where defenders have adjusted their technique to apply pressure to kickers without going through with the tackle.

“This is a player safety policy which has been in place for a number of years.”

It is understood the NRL will review Marshall’s comments after the completion of the round, having earlier this year outlined their plans to clamp down on criticism of the match officials.

Gold Coast coach Des Hasler was issued with a final warning last week after criticism of the video official Kasey Bunker.

North Queensland coach Todd Payten has also been warned over criticism of match officials this season. Marshall is the latest coach in the crosshairs as the NRL follows through on their vow to provide greater protection of the match officials.

The impartiality of Anusley and his team of performing blind mice in action.He went from being a useless unscupulous politician and managed to lower himself even further.
 
This guy has absolutely no idea if he thinks Tailagi tackle was "dangerous".

Idiot.
Anusley has lost touch with the game. You get players diving when you make up black and white bullshit rules to support your refs when they make an error. Cock head. Refs are a blight on the sport at the moment.
 
This won't be popular but when you see someone is going to kick the ball, which is always a number of metres away, you pull out of the tackle. Pressuring is fine.

Always err on the side of caution. Luai should have done this and the other one. He's a million dollar player, he should know better.

I think people think refs have more say on the outcome then they do. 9/10 the best team wins, regardless of the ref.
You’re essentially giving the kicker free rein to place the ball without any risk . There was one where May just stood back and let Cleary kick it late in the game. That’s not how our sport is played. It opens up a whole can of worms that our refs wouldn’t even begin to understand.

It’s like telling a batsman he can’t hit the ball square if it’s rotating clockwise. It’s just dumb.
 
You’re essentially giving the kicker free rein to place the ball without any risk . There was one where May just stood back and let Cleary kick it late in the game. That’s not how our sport is played. It opens up a whole can of worms that our refs wouldn’t even begin to understand.
Correct. There is no such thing as pressure on the kicker if there is no threat of a tackle being made.

If they are going to go down this route, at least give a reliable interpretation.

If we are going to penalise that, then they need to say, once the kicker puts the ball in the air, he is deemed to have started his kick. This would be opposed to when the kicker actually makes contact with the ball.
 
Correct. There is no such thing as pressure on the kicker if there is no threat of a tackle being made.

If they are going to go down this route, at least give a reliable interpretation.

If we are going to penalise that, then they need to say, once the kicker puts the ball in the air, he is deemed to have started his kick. This would be opposed to when the kicker actually makes contact with the ball.
You have to completely remove the option for the kicker to show the ball as a kick and run, which is virtually impossible. It will always be subjective and in Luai’s case, it wasn’t late or dangerous.
 
Correct. There is no such thing as pressure on the kicker if there is no threat of a tackle being made.

If they are going to go down this route, at least give a reliable interpretation.

If we are going to penalise that, then they need to say, once the kicker puts the ball in the air, he is deemed to have started his kick. This would be opposed to when the kicker actually makes contact with the ball.
That’s what the interpretation is I feel. Anyway is the job to pressure the kicker or to cover the ball. A charge down is what you’re really trying to achieve by rushing a kicker. If you want to put a hit on him get there before he starts to kick the ball otherwise just get in their space to make the kick difficult.
 
That’s what the interpretation is I feel. Anyway is the job to pressure the kicker or to cover the ball. A charge down is what you’re really trying to achieve by rushing a kicker. If you want to put a hit on him get there before he starts to kick the ball otherwise just get in their space to make the kick difficult.
There a 3 options on the kicker
Pressure
Charge down
Tackle
All 3 are legal !!!
You can’t take the kickers legs out or put him in a dangerous position (the same as all tackles). Luai did neither
Otherwise the kicker can dummy to kick and run or keep dummying to kick and be untouched
It’s a ridiculous decision/interpretation by the NRL
 
There a 3 options on the kicker
Pressure
Charge down
Tackle
All 3 are legal !!!
You can’t take the kickers legs out or put him in a dangerous position (the same as all tackles). Luai did neither
Otherwise the kicker can dummy to kick and run or keep dummying to kick and be untouched
It’s a ridiculous decision/interpretation by the NRL
Mate he hit him from the side and almost flipped him. That’s dangerous under their current interpretations.
 
There a 3 options on the kicker
Pressure
Charge down
Tackle
All 3 are legal !!!
You can’t take the kickers legs out or put him in a dangerous position (the same as all tackles). Luai did neither
Otherwise the kicker can dummy to kick and run or keep dummying to kick and be untouched
It’s a ridiculous decision/interpretation by the NRL
Exactly.
 
Mate he hit him from the side and almost flipped him. That’s dangerous under their current interpretations.
Neither hitting from the side or almost flipping is illegal in the rule book.

The immortal Andrew Johns has always been an advocate for protecting playmakers and he said categorically that was not a penalty.

Anusley is off with the fairy’s , go back to politics you mug.
 
Neither hitting from the side or almost flipping is illegal in the rule book.

The immortal Andrew Johns has always been an advocate for protecting playmakers and he said categorically that was not a penalty.
I said under the current interpretations. Annsely even said so. And yes putting a player beyond the horizontal is considered dangerous.
 
I said under the current interpretations. Annsely even said so. And yes putting a player beyond the horizontal is considered dangerous.
My issue is with their interpretation. It’s not in the rule book and it’s wrong - you make things up on the fly and you get unintentional consequences. He was not flipped past horizontal.

And if they want to make up rules on the fly, at least be consistent with them. Teddy got absolutely minced as he kicked the ball recently, no penalty.
 
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So I guess we can scrap the 'arms wrapping around the kicker?'

Seriously they keep changing things no wonder people players coaches commentators are conused...especially when its left to "interpretation" ...which rhis grey area imo is an easy out for them
 
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You have to completely remove the option for the kicker to show the ball as a kick and run, which is virtually impossible. It will always be subjective and in Luai’s case, it wasn’t late or dangerous.
A bit like high tackles, the end result should be severely punishable, not the element of potential danger.

Luai was not even diving at the feet. Didn't touch the legs. It was clear as day it was before the kicker makes contact with the ball. Over officiated.
 
A bit like high tackles, the end result should be severely punishable, not the element of potential danger.

Luai was not even diving at the feet. Didn't touch the legs. It was clear as day it was before the kicker makes contact with the ball. Over officiated.
The question always has to be, what do you want him to do? And the answer cannot be, remove yourself from the contest. It’s bloody rugby league.

There’s no bigger imbecile in the sport at the moment, get rid of him.
 
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