On the pitch. I thought this had been outlawed now? I was at the England-Aus game at Elland Rd last year and saw more of Alfie Langer than I did of the Aus front row. Watching the NRL this season, a similar trend has occured; whenever a team has possession of the ball, a yellow shirted water carrier is on the field, often barking out instructions to the team, sometimes joined by a bloke in an orange shirt. Today, Alfie Langer has spent more time on the pitch than Kurt Gidley. And at times, NSW have had 15 men on the pitch, with their water carrier and orange shirted fella on running behind their attacking line. Surely, if at this level of Rugby, the players can play the game by themselves. I remember Super League having a problem with this circa 2005 (Tommy Martyn was never off the pitch for Leigh, I recall), but a mandate was set after the Henry Fa'Filli incident at the galpharm. What's the official ruling regarding them?

Our game against Hull KR saw one of their water carriers prevent a certain try scoring oppertunity because the ball hit him, it was nothing short of a disgrace.

Water carriers should only be allowed on the field when play is stopped or when a player is injured.

Same happened to us v Hudds a few years ago.

Thats ok though

How you can complain about Water Carriers when Mike Forshaw has spent the first half of your season on the pitch is beyond me. Maybe you should replace him with Feka. It's very rare that he comes on.

Will water carriers be banned now that we have a drought?

Does he or has he ever got in the way of the ball or a player?

Find me an example and I will hold my hands up.

Every club has them on the pitch but they must not get in the way of play.

The initial point was that they are on the pitch too often. Mike Forshaw is on more than most. I didn't mention him getting in the way of anyone, but it's wrong. It's also quite blatent coaching. By the way, who's the clown on your site that thinks Andy Coley did nothing wrong on Sunday? Everyone else has agreed that it's a red card, but 15 pages later he's still arguing the toss.

As well as Forshaw there is Willie Poching at Leeds. More time on field that some of the subs.

Well I'm not naming names but it was a red card but he does not deserve 2 matches compared to other tackles this season especially considering it was not intentional.

i remember when they was at our place crowd behind me was screaming at him to get off,from then ive seen it at most their games,its a joke.he may aswell put a 14 on his back and just play.

I wonder what you have to do then to be given a two match ban according to a Wiganer..? Remove his head and leave him to die in a pool of his own blood on the pitch..?

Its a serious question considering three quarters of Wigan thought Peacock should have been sent off for nothing more than a grab on Tompkins in the Challenge Cup quarter final..?

The point I make about the challenge is that Peacocks tackle was intentional and Coleys was not. Peacock stopped a try scoring oppertunity.

I believe they should BOTH of had the same punishment.

To be fair - how do you no Coleys challenege wasn't intentional?

As the RFL have said he had his whole body to it.

RFL dugout rules IIRC are:

Water carriers are not allowed on the pitch unless there is a break in play, ie, a try has been scored, an injury has occurred or a pre-scheduled water break is affective. These guys wear blue tops.

Trainers wear yellow tops and have similar limited access as water carriers. Physios have unlimited access to the field in case of injury, these guys wear orange tops. If you see a guy in an orange top running around the field more times than the scrum half, its because he is abusing his access to the field.

He's ridiculously biased...

Sorry mis-post. Thought this was a Clarke thread.

not bad in state of origin... alfie langer is queensland water carrier and for NSW is joey johns

well i guess Forshaw must get special dispensation from the RFL??