Quote ="Stealth Comic"I am actually a qualified referee and coach albeit it in another sport.
The reason I don't referee is because quite frankly, I prefer to stand on the terraces with my mates drink some beer and sing some songs. After having to stop playing through injury that's how I contribute to the game.
To be honest I think it takes a very special type of uselessness to fail to see that the ball passed a foot wide of the post, especially given that within the context of the game it was the only thing that they should have been focusing on.
I'm sure folk will come back with the old "No Referee No Game" rebuttal to this post. However just because this saying is true does not mean that they are beyond criticism either. They are there to do a job. If a player or coach makes mistakes they are righly criticised likewise if I make a mistake in my job. Why should officials be any different? Why should they be allowed to hide behind the fact that if a player or coach expresses their right to free speech and publicly criticises them the player or coach will be fined by the RFL?'"
To be perfectly frank mate I partially agree with you on this post. If a referee makes a serious error he should be able to be taken in front of a decisions committee to view footage and explain anything brought up, then the RFL could judge on the complaint etc.
However, that is about it, you seem to be saying that both Touch Judges gave a conversion even though it was a foot wide, why would they do that? Are they just against Keighley? Are they for Hornets? Are they both just incompetent? My answers would be no, no and no! They gave what they saw.
I too am a qualified rugby league referee having passed the RFL refereeing exam but have long since retired from the activity but every single week I hear people trotting out the same old tosh. "Linesman, why don't you get on the field and tell him they're offside?" Point one they are Touch Judges not linesmen and they are not allowed to go onto the field for that as the referee gives offsides. "OBSTRUCTION!!!" at every instant when the player in possession goes behind another player. Only if that player moves and physically obstructs the player is it obstruction. The player in possession CANNOT be guilty of obstruction, only his team-mates.
Long ago I saw a Colts game at Wilderspool and I thought Hornets were robbed by the ref, I was livid and took the first chance I could to get the video, before the days of DVDs mate. When I got to the play in question, I WAS WRONG!!!!!
Another game where I was a Touch Judge at Leigh, there was a kick to touch and it clearly landed on the line and I flagged ball back. After the game the Leigh director in charge came over and said he personally make sure I never officiated again as that ball had landed "at least a foot inside the line."
I said if the video showed me to be wrong he should call my referees society and I would never work again, his call never came, he was just very upset that his team lost and had to take it out on somebody and chose me.
I think the referees have been very good this season and I have no problems with any of our games, last week we lost at London and a mixture of our poor show and London's great attitude won it, not some refereeing decisions. We lost a close one at 'Haven, basically because we were hammered in the first half and were to far behind to drag it all back, not bad refereeing.
Why don't you try giving Hornets some credit for coming to your gaff and beating you with superior rugby as I have given you credit for the last three games?
Pugwash.
