Eels Blogs

Denan Kemp, the former Broncos NRL player and SEN commentator was equally scathing of Eels as the officiating in the Eels’ Round 1 loss to the Melbourne Storm in his podcast.

“The jersey deserved better than that second half," he admitted.

“(But) The refereeing, especially in the first half, was unacceptable. Unacceptably bad refereeing.”

Kemp pointed to a period early in the match where the set restarts were heavily skewed.

“There was one period where the set restarts were 4–0 in favour of the Storm, and yet their average play-the-ball speed was faster than the Eels.”

“I just don’t get it. To have a faster average play-the-ball speed and also four consecutive six-again penalties.”

“How does that work?”

On the Captain’s Challenge adjudicated by the bunker, Kemp was even more direct.

“I couldn't believe what I was watching. That is disgraceful video refereeing.”

“You can see his arms literally going to pass the ball backwards.”

“What do you mean it hit the attacker’s arm off the defender’s arm?”

He also criticised the momentum shift created by repeated restarts.

“I don’t like that one of their first tries was because they went six-again, six-again, try.”

Kemp then referenced the controversial incident involving Iongi.

“My player has to go off for an HIA after a head-high and crusher and it’s not even a penalty.”

“It was really, really bad refereeing.”

Even some Storm fans at the ground were reportedly astonished at several decisions.

So let’s take a closer look.

High-Level Momentum and Fatigue Management 

17 errors and 63% completions sealed the Eels' fate.

But, let's look at the time zones where restarts were awarded.

Graph: Time Zones for Set Restarts; Fatigue makes cowards of us all.

The Eels were only given set restarts in two small chucks.

Late in the first half, either side of the break — after the Storm had 18-4 on the board. And then late in the second half in the final minutes — after the Storm had racked up 46-4.

That's high-level fatigue and momentum management in effect.

It's irrespective of intent or if it unrelated pay-back against the Eels' confronting and telling subpoenas of HQ in the Lomax-Storm saga the Eels won.

17 sets - 3 sets

In between the 46th and 72nd minute the Storm had 17/19 sets compared with the Eels 3/6. 

During that time the score went from 18-4 to 46-4 in the 66th minute.

How the Eels only managed to only concede one try in the last 14 minutes with 12 men for ten minutes of those with all that preceded is a miracle.

Kemp's noted: "The silver lining here is Ryles can use that for the rest of the season of like, boys, this is how far away we are from the top tier."

2026 could be the Year of the Ref.  

Summary of Questionable Refereering:

• Hopgood’s head clash resulted in a penalty and a sin bin and a two-week suspension, which seems excessive when compared to Crichton’s direct-head contact with Tu’s head which only resulted in a penalty.
• The HIA incident involving Iongi, which appeared high and a crusher, didn’t even result in a penalty.
• The Captain’s Challenge decision seemed dubious as Kemp noted, Ryley Smith's hands were clearly moving backwards at all times.
• From the 45th to the 72nd minute, the Storm completed 17/19 sets, compared with the Eels’ 3/6.
• During that same stretch, the score blew out from 18–4 at half-time to 46–4 by the 66th minute.
• The set restarts were 9-5 to the Storm.
• Kemp also makes the point that the Storm’s play-the-ball speed was faster than the Eels’, which makes the lopsided six-again restarts 4-0 at the beginning seem odd.

• The only time the Eels received any set restarts was either side of half-time (31st–42nd minute) and very late in the game (from the 74th minute) , after the Storm had already those established decisive leads mentioned above.