Back to the football is a soft game debate! Only the ref is soft tonight! Holland should be down to 8.

I agree; they're a bunch of jessies.

BJ does this to Westerman next week and they are both off.

World Cup footy is the new UFC!

BUT

Westerman doesn't roll round on the floor, crying like a big girl and begging the ref to send BJ off whilst he waits for a stretcher; he gets up, marks BJ's card then leathers him at the next opportunity.

Lee Briers might

I'll concede on Briers, but he's the exception.

Possibly, but don't tell me that kick didn't hurt.

Dreadful game of football last night. Felt a bit sorry for the ref in the end. A lose/lose situation for him, as it was clear he didn't want to send anyone off and potentially ruin what spectacle there may have been, but the (Dutch) players just abused it.

I hope to God we never see the kind of mobbing of refs in rugby league that was on display last night. Makes me very proud of our sport when you see that kind of carry on.

Couldn't agree more; there does seem to be more and more dissent creeping into RL, but we're a million miles away from that kind of shenanigens. Interestingly, there seemed to be quite a few people penalised for it in this weekends matches - maybe the ref's have had a directive?

With respect to the football, a rule change I would introduce would be to make waving an imaginary card an automatic booking.

The play acting is frustrating but nothing much can be done about it as it’s subjective. Alonso, quite clearly, had every right to stay down after the above challenge. Villa actions later on, however, were quite frankly pathetic.

One solution could be a rule requiring a player who is writhing on the floor in agony having to spend 5 minutes off the pitch for each role he makes after the challenge, regardless of whether he’s recovered the second he gets of the stretcher/over the whitewash. That should see some of the ridiculous tumbles worthy of a gold medal gymnastic routine diminish in due course.

The game structure of league makes it a lot easier to punish backchat or mobbing, IMO. Keep pushing a team 10 metres further back towards their own goal line and players soon learn it's better to just keep their gobs shut and get on with it, especially when it costs them field position and points.

The 5 minute per roll routine for football is not a bad idea, 'cos lets be honest, if you really cop for one in either rugby or football, rolling around on the floor is the last thing on your mind.

All ref's should be given a tazer; mobbing over.

Wakefield Wildcats Front Elite



"So are we off t'lane to watch us thrash Cas?"

"Nah we're pedigrees we'll be bagged by the Oedipussies before the game kicks off."

I am currently thinking of booking a holiday to salou for my and my girlfriend. When we fly we will both be 16 year old. 2 questions

1) Will they be bothered about us been 16 (We are going with 2 19 year olds but booked seperatly)
2) I am booking it on my mum's card because i havent got a credit card as yet. But my mum has a diffrent surname to me. Will they allow me to do this?

Thanks alot

I went to Las Vegas by myself when I was 16, not sure about credit cards as I've never had one in my life.

I know it's a different sport but as a kid growing up in the early 80's I loved watching him, he was my sporting hero along with Wally Lewis.

RIP

RIP

Incredible player, changed the face of snooker

thats truly truly bad news.

one of the great anti establishment figures, and with out him the big earners who came afterwards would have still have been playing in working mens clubs.

fed up.


rip

my fave alex story was he was playing an exibition game in a club round here and was frankly gash in the first hour, locals beating him etc etc, when asked why he said the balls were too cold and got club cook to put them in the oven for 10 mins, would have looked a complete berk if he hadnt then knocked in about 4 centuries in next hour.

met him in preston at the world qualifiers many years back, got murdered with him, kirk stephens and the ever funny cliff thorburn, worst hangover ever.

sport needs mavericks

downer.

and to be fair the death of a pivitol sports personality deserves better treatment than being hid in a "chat" thred.

I could merge it with a thread on the "Other Sports" forum (where it really belongs) if you prefer?

whatever. your rule book, your rules, dont get anything wrong will you?

Grow up.

sorry?

I expressed an opinion, why the childish rebuke?

sod it not worth the bother

Same here - snooker was huge in those days and Alex Higgins was the man; I loved the way he swaggered round the table, flicking the V's at the whole world. Very sad news - RIP The Hurricane.

Yep, in those days they even showed him sat in his corner, chain-smoking his way through packets of Bensons. The Whirlwind never really had what the Hurricane had, though he came close. The modern day bad lads are too bothered about image and haircuts to be really bad. Sad day for those who love the real characters.

On the same note, darts isn't the same either, since they replaced pints and tabs with bottles of Evian. Bring back Fred Truman and the Indoor League.