NRL referees boss Robert Finch warns of NFL style obstruction plays
By Stuart Honeysett
August 11, 2009 .NRL referees boss Robert Finch has defended the decision by video referee Phil Cooley to controversially disallow a try to Wests Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki, claiming 90 per cent of officials agreed with the ruling at a debrief on Monday.
Finch also rejected suggestions by Sydney Roosters coach Brad Fittler that referees were too aggressive and talked down to players and instead said captain Craig Fitzgibbon had been the instigator in his sideline confrontation with referee Gavin Badger.
Angry Tigers coach Tim Sheens blasted the decision by Cooley to disallow Tuiaki's try for obstruction as decoy runner John Skandalis prevented Sydney Roosters replacement Riley Brown from making a tackle on Robbie Farah in the lead-up.
Replays suggested the call was tough as Farah had fended Brown away before passing to Tuiaki, and Skandalis' contact was minimal. Sheens claimed "we're playing in skirts" before branding the ruling as ridiculous.
However, Finch said only one of the 10 officials at Monday's debrief would have awarded the try under the benefit of the doubt rule. The others agreed that Cooley had made the right call.
"That was no try. You can't have blokes like Skandalis standing in the Roosters defensive line," Finch said.
"We had a video referees meeting today and we're all comfortable with that decision. In that meeting there were eight video referees plus myself and (assistant) Stuart Raper.
"There was one that may have given it benefit of the doubt."
Given the obstruction rule has been described as a lottery this season, Finch said he was happy to review it again at the end of the year but warned the game could become like the NFL if measures weren't adopted to limit decoy runners and block plays.
"The interpretations that we use were put up to every first grade coach and captain at the end of last year and 94 per cent voted it should be maintained," Finch said.
"We are implementing what the game wanted. If people are looking for black and white in obstruction, the game doesn't allow for that.
"We don't want to head down the path of NFL."
Sheens rejected Finch's explanation and asked if Brown had been impeded from making a tackle on Farah then why didn't referees Gavin Badger or Tony De Las Heras immediately blow a penalty.
"I am concerned that we've gone a full season now with two referees and we get a lot more decisions right between them towards the back end of the season," Sheens said.
"In that particular scenario you've got everyone saying it wasn't a try. The referee at the time does not penalise Robbie."
By Stuart Honeysett
August 11, 2009 .NRL referees boss Robert Finch has defended the decision by video referee Phil Cooley to controversially disallow a try to Wests Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki, claiming 90 per cent of officials agreed with the ruling at a debrief on Monday.
Finch also rejected suggestions by Sydney Roosters coach Brad Fittler that referees were too aggressive and talked down to players and instead said captain Craig Fitzgibbon had been the instigator in his sideline confrontation with referee Gavin Badger.
Angry Tigers coach Tim Sheens blasted the decision by Cooley to disallow Tuiaki's try for obstruction as decoy runner John Skandalis prevented Sydney Roosters replacement Riley Brown from making a tackle on Robbie Farah in the lead-up.
Replays suggested the call was tough as Farah had fended Brown away before passing to Tuiaki, and Skandalis' contact was minimal. Sheens claimed "we're playing in skirts" before branding the ruling as ridiculous.
However, Finch said only one of the 10 officials at Monday's debrief would have awarded the try under the benefit of the doubt rule. The others agreed that Cooley had made the right call.
"That was no try. You can't have blokes like Skandalis standing in the Roosters defensive line," Finch said.
"We had a video referees meeting today and we're all comfortable with that decision. In that meeting there were eight video referees plus myself and (assistant) Stuart Raper.
"There was one that may have given it benefit of the doubt."
Given the obstruction rule has been described as a lottery this season, Finch said he was happy to review it again at the end of the year but warned the game could become like the NFL if measures weren't adopted to limit decoy runners and block plays.
"The interpretations that we use were put up to every first grade coach and captain at the end of last year and 94 per cent voted it should be maintained," Finch said.
"We are implementing what the game wanted. If people are looking for black and white in obstruction, the game doesn't allow for that.
"We don't want to head down the path of NFL."
Sheens rejected Finch's explanation and asked if Brown had been impeded from making a tackle on Farah then why didn't referees Gavin Badger or Tony De Las Heras immediately blow a penalty.
"I am concerned that we've gone a full season now with two referees and we get a lot more decisions right between them towards the back end of the season," Sheens said.
"In that particular scenario you've got everyone saying it wasn't a try. The referee at the time does not penalise Robbie."
