Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:18 am  

bren2k wrote:

The only surprising this is that anyone is surprised; Wane has this Wigan team so focused on aggression and dominating their opponents in any way possible, that the inevitable result is the continued evolution of his ugly brand of thugby league.

Horrible to watch, horrible to play against and I'd imagine, horrible to referee.

It needn't be horrible to referee. When I'm reffing, if there's team who've decided to be dirty, I find a fairly robust and rapid application of the rules sorts it out fast. By the time you've sinbinned the second man, and given ten penalties on the trot allowing the opposition to score a couple of times, the dirty team will be swearing blind at you (quietly, because that was what the second sin-binning was for), but they'll pack in the silly stuff.

Not the ref's job to be popular with both sides. It's the ref's job to police the game according to the rules, and also de facto to protect the players from those who think RL is an excuse for legalized GBH.

If O'Loughlin had seen a red card a few more times for his endless head shots; or if MM had been sent off a few more times for his lifting and kicking (and by the way, anyone who thinks that kick to Wilkin's head was accidental - I hope you're my trial judge when I rob a bank); and if Wilkin had found himself on the end of a few more penalties or yellows for aggressively challenging the referee; then none of them would do it as much.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:22 am  

spartakmixtapes wrote:

Barely any mention of Wilkins cheap headshot on Tomkins after he scored??? Funny that.
Thought the Sarginson hit was badly timed on his part, looked from the slow motion that Burns legs hadn't quite stopped when Sarginson started to move but he certainly had time to pull out. It was naughty but not illegal. The way to cut it out is for the ref to call held quicker although that is a difficult balancing act because offloads in the tackle are one of the more exciting parts of the game.
As pointed out though for all the moralising from Saints fans, they seemed to react differently when their 'Jammer' targeted Baileys ribs in '09.

Most of the Saints fans I've seen haven't been all that fussed about the Sarginson shot on Wilkin, bit scummy but not against the rules. We're more fussed about Sarginson tackling Percival in the air, O'Loughlin's high shot, McIlorum's late and dangerous tackle, McIlorum kneeing Wilkin....

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:56 am  

Saint #1 wrote:

Most of the Saints fans I've seen haven't been all that fussed about the Sarginson shot on Wilkin, bit scummy but not against the rules. We're more fussed about Sarginson tackling Percival in the air, O'Loughlin's high shot, McIlorum's late and dangerous tackle, McIlorum kneeing Wilkin....

I'm clearly biased but..... the Sarginson tackle in the air was IMO bad technique on Sarges part, penalty sufficient, should get an official telling off, Lockers high shot was lazy from him rather than malicious (player shifts inside and Lockers is too slow to bend his back) penalty was correct call, and I may be wrong but I saw the Mcilorum knee as a clumsy attempt to con the ref into giving a penalty than anything dirty although he should get a cautioning for lifting a player into a dangerous position.

Nothing on Wilkins cheap head shot on Tomkins after he scored?

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:30 pm  

spartakmixtapes wrote:

I'm clearly biased but..... the Sarginson tackle in the air was IMO bad technique on Sarges part, penalty sufficient, should get an official telling off, Lockers high shot was lazy from him rather than malicious (player shifts inside and Lockers is too slow to bend his back) penalty was correct call, and I may be wrong but I saw the Mcilorum knee as a clumsy attempt to con the ref into giving a penalty than anything dirty although he should get a cautioning for lifting a player into a dangerous position.

Nothing on Wilkins cheap head shot on Tomkins after he scored?

You make Wigan's players sound like a bunch of over enthusiastic puppies and Saints as the nasty farmer with a shotgun over his arm.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:33 pm  

In a shock, but totally predictable move, the RFL have revealed there are no charges against any player this round bar the spitting incident in the Huddersfield game at the weekend. Ridiculous.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:40 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

You make Wigan's players sound like a bunch of over enthusiastic puppies and Saints as the nasty farmer with a shotgun over his arm.

Pfft, I pointed out one Saints cheap shot while saying that at least 2 Wigan players warranted official cautioning for dangerous play, but you carry on as you were and just imagine I wrote something else if that's what keeps you happy.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:33 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

In a shock, but totally predictable move, the RFL have revealed there are no charges against any player this round bar the spitting incident in the Huddersfield game at the weekend. Ridiculous.

astonishing!
considering there was plenty going on in our game, and from what i saw a few bits of naughty stuff from the saints-wigan game, it looks the MRP and disciplinary fancy a week off this week

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:04 pm  

Saint #1 wrote:

Most of the Saints fans I've seen haven't been all that fussed about the Sarginson shot on Wilkin, bit scummy but not against the rules. We're more fussed about Sarginson tackling Percival in the air, O'Loughlin's high shot, McIlorum's late and dangerous tackle, McIlorum kneeing Wilkin....

Love it when rivals knock seven shades out of each other, legally or illegally.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:09 pm  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

It needn't be horrible to referee. When I'm reffing, if there's team who've decided to be dirty, I find a fairly robust and rapid application of the rules sorts it out fast. By the time you've sinbinned the second man, and given ten penalties on the trot allowing the opposition to score a couple of times, the dirty team will be swearing blind at you (quietly, because that was what the second sin-binning was for), but they'll pack in the silly stuff.

Not the ref's job to be popular with both sides. It's the ref's job to police the game according to the rules, and also de facto to protect the players from those who think RL is an excuse for legalized GBH.

If O'Loughlin had seen a red card a few more times for his endless head shots; or if MM had been sent off a few more times for his lifting and kicking (and by the way, anyone who thinks that kick to Wilkin's head was accidental - I hope you're my trial judge when I rob a bank); and if Wilkin had found himself on the end of a few more penalties or yellows for aggressively challenging the referee; then none of them would do it as much.

Re: Is Rugby league becoming soft? : Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:14 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

In a shock, but totally predictable move, the RFL have revealed there are no charges against any player this round bar the spitting incident in the Huddersfield game at the weekend. Ridiculous.

Sadly predictable. Presumably the post-McKinnon drive to stop spear tackles and lifting tackles has been dropped, same as virtually any RFL initiative after a short time. By next season I wouldn't be suprised to see the rules and focus on head injuries totally forgotten.

Until somebody else is seriously hurt and then we can all react with shock and sympathy and wish we'd done something.