Monday Buzz: Referee performance overshadows top quality Eels v Panthers finals showdow
We should be talking about the high quality, toughness and brutality of a good old-fashioned finals showdown. Instead an age-old problem continues to rear its ugly head, says Phil Rothfield.
The Parramatta Eels did not deserve to lose Saturday night’s blockbuster final against the Panthers.
The #NRLtalkthegameup way to analyse this 80-minute blockbuster is to rave about the high quality, toughness and brutality of a good old-fashioned finals showdown.
Nathan Cleary’s courage with a bung shoulder, Jarome Luai back to his best, Mitchell Moses and a barnstorming effort from Reagan Campbell Gillard.
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This was a gripping game of rugby league with record-breaking TV ratings that were up 28 percent on the same finals match last year.
However, we cannot ignore the fact that there were a number of highly controversial decisions that need to be addressed, not that it will help long-suffering Parramatta Eels fans with their season now over.
The reason this needs to be addressed now is because we’ve still got two preliminary finals and the grand final ahead of us, and we can’t see a repeat of Saturday’s refereeing performance.
Did the refereeing cost Parramatta victory? You can’t say for sure, but possibly.
These are the facts.
# The Eels were belted 7-2 in the penalty count.
# Moses was clearly taken out of play chasing a kick near the end. A penalty every day of the week and Luai in the sin-bin for 10 minutes.
# Clint Gutherson had the ball stripped from his arms in the dying moments. It was either a penalty or six again.
# Cleary kicked the game deciding penalty from a Will Smith tackle which was ruled a head-high when it in fact connected around the chest.
# Three times Penrith trainers called for play to stop when the Eels were attacking and had strong momentum. On the Mitch Kenny occasion the trainer was not even on the field when play was stopped.
There’s no question that if Parramatta had a couple calls go their way, they’d be playing Melbourne next weekend, not Penrith.
Eels coach Brad Arthur could barely contain his frustration in the post-match presser, saying Ivan Cleary’s Panthers “got what they were after off the back of whinging”.
“We make a linebreak out of the backfield and Will Penisini gets tackled off the ball and Mitchell Moses is running there to chase and he gets tackled in the background off the ball,” he said.
These are the types of mistakes that can cost coaches their jobs.
So why are we writing about referees after such a wonderful game of rugby league?
Because the system is broken and desperately needs fixing.
For Graham Annesley to tell Paul Crawley on Sunday: “I thought the referee and the bunker controlled one of the most intense games of the season extremely well” is proof of that.
It’s called ignorance.
The number of blowouts this year has actually camouflaged the refereeing issues in our game.
No-one cares when teams get beaten by 30 or 40 but it matters when games go to the wire, like the Panthers and Eels did on Saturday night.
You start with the weekend appointments and ask why Ashley Klein was even controlling this game.
Grant Atkins and Adam Gee have been clearly the best two whistle blowers this year but get snubbed for the big end of season games. So does Matt Cecchin.
Klein keeps surviving controversy.
Round 2, Parramatta v Storm: Klein in charge. Felise Kaufisi attacks the head of Ryan Matterson on the ground. It’s a sickening shot and obvious sin bin or sent off. He stayed on the field.
Anzac Day, Roosters v Dragons. Jordan Pereira does a terrible high shot on Roosters fullback James Tedesco. Graham Annesley later admits he would have sent Pereira off for the tackle. Again Klein.
Round 24, Roosters v Rabbitohs. Souths superstar Latrell Mitchell fractures the cheekbone of Joey Manu in a reckless high shot. Klein let play continue until the bunker intervened. That he wasn’t sent-off was a disgrace and almost incited a sideline riot.
Yet Annesley and Jarryd Maxwell continue to pick Klein for the biggest games.
What hope is there for the younger refs who have been in superior form?
No-one expects referees to be perfect. That will never happen, even as technology keeps improving.
We just want consistency.
If players are sin-binned for professional fouls over 25 rounds, we want players sin-binned for professional fouls during the finals. It’s as simple as that. You can’t change the rules for the finals.
Replies
Just adds to the frustration. The worst that can happen is Klein or the bunker will get sacked for a game and Penrith get a fine. Big deal. Doesn't change shit. Our season is over because of it.
I've seen games lost because of 7th tackle tries but the outcome never changes.... it can be a really shitty sport at times but it's always been this way.... rugby league is more soap opera than sport it thrives on hatred, scandal and controversy
Players pay big fines for some dodgy head high ref calls. It seems like the players always have to wear the costs of incompetent ref rulings. I suppose that is part and parcel of how you play this game.
We have to accept that referees just don't go out of their way to help another team win, maybe in the 70s yes but not in today's game. I don't believe it. I'm sure there were instances throughout the season where we got lucky with calls. Look at the fergo crusher tackle, there was nothing in it and gave us a leg up to be in a great position to score a try.
Let's just accept that finishing 6th, then playing two very extremely tough finals was never going to give us much hope in the third game. You'll see that Penrith will be so fatigued that Melbourne will put a score on and it will be finished by the 50th minute.
The point is Parramatta must finish higher on the ladder even 1st or second to give ourselves a home final and a huge shot at a preliminary at home aswell.
Did the referees make the Eels finish 6th - No. The ball is in Arthur's hands to move us up. I applaud him for dressing down the refs and he needs to do more of that throughout the season.
Perhaps the most balanced blog I can recall you writing. Very good 👍
Get your hands off it Chief, let us he miserable 🤣
Clint makes these types of mistakes every game.
That's why I don't think he should be Captain IMO.
I'm glad other people are starting to see the problem with Gutherson as our captain. There's been a number of big games this year you can attribute loses to him where he's swung the momentum with a rookie error. Hopefully BA sits down over the off season and watches every game since the first Manly game and takes special notice of Gutherson before we negotiate his next offer. Then I'd be offering the bloke 700k amd not a penny more.
$700k is a lot for a centre, that’s where his future lies.
I'm hoping he walks away at the offer he deems way below his value. Tbh I'd cap it at 500K. He's too slow to be a centre. In a perfect world I'd like to see us spend his money on a quality captain like T Sims and Dunster slots into FB. But that's in a perfect world.
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