I'd have to say that the video ref had a big impact last night.

The Bradford v Leeds game should have finished a 6-6 draw as there is clearly foul play in the build up to the try. The referee had a suspicion of this as it was one of the things the VR was asked to look at but it was a poor decision by Mr Alibert to ignore this and allow the try to stand.

is that in the rules anywhere?

Are you saying that he wasn't offside? If he was he needs to remain inactive whilst attempting to get back onside.

no im saying your view of it whilst convenient isnt quite what the rules are

My opinion is (and i expect to be shot down over this) the standard of refereeing is very high, they do an exceptionally difficult job very well, the amount of times I have been to a match and critised their decisions only to find out when watching it back on sky+ that they were actually spot on is countless, the one criticism i have is that they let too many forward passes go, but for these they need help from their linesmen, when your team underperforms somebody is to blame and that is usually the ref, they were several contentious issues regarding my team last night but i think between the ref and VR they called them correctly.

Not convienient as I have no allegiance to either side.

Is this not true .... You are offside in Rugby League if you are within the gap maintained between the attacking and defensive sides by the referee or if you interfere with play after being in front of a team mate.

I believe the quote I was replying to was 'less effective' not 'ineffective'. Saints are very good a getting a roll on based on quick play the balls but they are also very good at other things.



Why should we ever change the rules? To make the sport better. There is a view that scooting from dummy half is boring and one dimensional. Allowing a more controlled play the ball makes this tactic less effective and so encourages other tactics.

We concur.

no,

See SBR's post above.

good defence would do the same!

it seems another example of the rfl stopping the natural evolution of the game to level sl to mediocrity

How can you say JJB's was a pass, clear knock on.

Awwww didums , have the mighty LEEDS RHINO's lost again

Must be the refs fault

which is different to both your explanations

this is where your definition doesnt match the rules "A player who is out of play may again take part in the game when the advantage gained by not retiring has been lost."

no mention of a time frame there and a rule open to huge interpretation

Video refs maybe.

I have no allegiance to either side (as I stated earlier) but it was a bad call to allow Bradfords match-winning try. There is clear evidence of foul play in the build-up which the VR was asked to look at.

Agree on all three counts - I even thought there was suspicion of a knock on from Menzies when he attempted to pat the ball back for Bradford's winining try.

"Having retired the distance prescribed in the preceding paragraph no player of the team not in possession may advance until the ball has cleared the ruck. A player who is out of play may again take part in the game when the advantage gained by not retiring has been lost.

Thats for the side not in posession of the football - the defence.

So, in essence you'd criticise Thaler because he didn't ignore the rules of the game and make it up as he went along - you'dprefer it if he did ... weird.

So, in essence you'd criticise Thaler because he didn't ignore the rules of the game and make it up as he went along - you'dprefer it if he did ... weird.

I have spoken in 'lay mans' terms - it looks to me like SBR has quoted the rule. I will accept that if the rule has been quoted word-for-word then it includes no timescale but in the incident witnessed last night surely Webb has 'gained an advantage' from being in an offside position initially as he could not have exchanged passes with Burrow if he had retired behind the original p-t-b?

That's one of what twenty games or so I've seen this season which makes it 5% excluding all the other games that I've not seen. If it was happening at every game fair enough (and don't get me wrong there have been some poor video ref decisions recently) but refs tend to get decisions right the vast majority of the time.

So it's OK for the players to do this etc.......?

it's not the players job to police the game

Probably the inconsistancy was of of the same "HIGH", we are perfect, we can so no wrong, players!

I would be interested to hear about how all the other players have had "perfect" games this weekend!

Well that's usually the way!

Can you do better.


What I do now know is that the players don't win games anymore it is the neutral match officials.

Don't you learn something every day.