POST GAME Game 3 - NSW vs QLD

[uptheguts]

How about even Andrew Johns pointing out the ridiculous biased refereeing ? Got zero support from Gus or Warren of course. I just don't get it. I mean do the refs actually have instructions before the game or what? It was a bit like going back to the days when Quale and Arthurson ran the the show.

 

[Rhys van Beurden]

Dunno if I am beating a dead horse here (didn't read any comments), but Rule 14.2 of the ARL Rules Book 2016 (http://www.playnrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ARL-Rules-book-2016.pdf) states that:

"Any offside player who remains within ten metres of an opponent who is set to catch a kick up field by an opposing player shall be deemed to be interfering with or attempting to interfere with the catcher and shall be penalised unless the non-offending team gains an immediate advantage."

No mention of interfering with the play (which I would argue Jennings did anyway). How was this not breaking the rules? Oh well, another Qld trophy!

 

[Big Pete]

Sometimes you rewatch a game in the cold light of day and come to the realisation that one side clearly outplayed the other and that the referees had minimal bearing in the contest.

I've seen games in the past where it seemed like every call went one team's way and that's how they won the contest, only for the replay to reveal a bunch of misgivings that ultimately decided the juncture.

Unfortunately on this occasion, what we witnessed was more of the former.

Generally we criticise referees for being overly self conscious and averse to criticism. Generally they try their best to keep the penalty counts even and the game is filled with a bunch of square ups which calls into the integrity of the officials.

Last night felt like a throwback to the 80s where you'd have Kevin Ryan and Barry Gommersall try and out-do one another. Barry would give Queensland a lopsided penalty count one game, so then Ryan would try and give the Blues a few more in the next game. Their performances generally dominated post-match discussion and in a lot of ways took away from the performances on the field. Since then the game has brought in a state of the art video review system, more referees on the field and a refined rule book that makes the game easier to referee. This is especially true when it comes to scrum penalties, which were usually the source of a lot of infringements.

Rugby League has grown a lot since the 80s and yet the standard of refereeing has yet to get with the times.

I really have to wonder about the performances of the Sutton brothers and Cummins. While a lot of us felt as if it was Luke Patten in charge of the Fifita try, it was Bernard Sutton's voice that relayed the call. Perhaps Archer will reveal an addendum that justifies the decision that we're all not aware of, but on paper it was a clear no-try, penalty Queensland.

Yet the decision went the Blues way. As did a number of calls that resulted in a 12-3 penalty count. While I was okay with a couple of decisions from the referees, there were a few calls and omissions that appeared to be clearly wrong and influenced simply by emotion. On a stage this big, I just question the professionalism of the game. State of Origin is the crown jewel and by artificially sweetening the contest, you hardly invite casual fans to keep watching and tune into the NRL competition. Not after they saw a performance where one side was given so many obvious leg ups from the officials.

At the time, it didn't bother me. In fact, given the way NSW held Queensland out while one player short and the try to Jennings I felt as if it was a well deserved victory. However, it was clear that the run of calls had exhausted the Maroons and when they were in a position to win the contest, they couldn't find the extra gear necessary to pile on the points. The two tries they scored were incredibly soft, and had the game continued without the spate of bad calls, it appeared as if the Blues defence was in for a long night.

Watching the replay, I wanted to be wrong. I wanted the Blues to convince me that they were the better side and would have won regardless. Instead, I saw a rudderless team that was just as likely to hand possession over than to capitilise on it. The play lacked awareness and it seemed like they actively went away from the plays that had broken the Maroons line on several occasions. There were a handful of good performances, but also plenty of poor ones and I'm unsure if the Blues have really built a foundation in this one clash.

On a positive note, the try to Jennings vindicated one point of view I had. For so long, the Blues had gone with players to stop GI. On this occasion, they brought Blake Ferguson in-field and one on one, he proved too much of a handful for the Maroons dynamo. It was a thrilling moment for NSW, one they should have experienced much sooner and for the sake of the competition play towards in the future.

I was also wrong about a player as well. I've never been a big fan of his, but Tyson Frizell has really made a name for himself in the Origin arena. He reminds me a lot of Jeremy Smith in his hey day. Not big on numbers, but everything he commits to is full hearted. He needs to be in the Blues side in 2017.

What does this game mean? Not a lot, Gal got to go out a winner and Queensland lost an extremely good lock of their own. Somehow, I believe the Maroons suffered the biggest loss in that department but with the likes of Smith, Cronk and Thurston nearing the end of their fabulous careers, there is still plenty of motivation moving forward.

 

[winslow_wong]

How many times has Jennings done that... He always steps back in and scores in origin. Was a completely useless the whole series and then becomes a hero

 

[Bucking Beads]

Last nights match was a blight on Rugby League. There is no way that penalty count sits right with anyone who has a clue about Rugby League. QLD got flogged by the refs and NSW got away with everything. Truly staggering that a game can be officiated in that way in front of Millions of people. Lets not even start on the Fifita try and the Bunker changing the rules of the game to suit their agenda. To think QLD were a ball hair away from winning despite all that BS.

 

[broncsgoat]

Even Joey and Freddy knew the fix was in

 

[Bucking Beads]

Another thing. How disgusting was Phil Gould in the box as Jennings scored. Amateur shit from Channel 9.

 

[Dexter]

Why wasn't it an 8 point try when Fifita got sent?

 

[1910]

Why wasn't it an 8 point try when Fifita got sent?

Can't be, 8 points is for fouled in the act of scoring. He wasn't in the act of scoring.

 

[1910]

Yeah he is great and will play indefinitely.

I kind of think the Maroons might get the cricket curse the Australian team had. I remember when McGrath/Warne retired and they were the Thurston/Smith of the Australian team, when they retired Australia pumped up all of these up and coming players but they fell flat on the spot. QLD have some very good players coming through but they are not in the same class of the current mob.

The Maroons are not the All Blacks so the tide will turn and NSW will have a good run of their own at some point. Remember the NSW under 20's have dominated the Maroons.

You've been saying that for 11 years- When Lockyer retires we will win, when Petero and Price retire we will win, when Slater is done we will win.........

You've won Under 20's every year and it hasn't amounted to anything the last five years.

 

[winslow_wong]

I can't believe there's talk of Inglis being suspended for 4 weeks and Parker for 2. Rugby league will be touch butt in the park soon.

 

[Super Freak]

Dunno if I am beating a dead horse here (didn't read any comments), but Rule 14.2 of the ARL Rules Book 2016 (http://www.playnrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ARL-Rules-book-2016.pdf) states that:

No mention of interfering with the play (which I would argue Jennings did anyway). How was this not breaking the rules? Oh well, another Qld trophy!

There is also this part in the explanatory notes about the offside rule..

An offside player must not actively or passively obstruct an opponent or attempt in any way to influence the course of the game.

That's exactly what Jennings did.

 

[Super Freak]

This morning and last night I see a bunch of comments that the "tide is turning"

How?

QLD were getting slammed in the penalty count, NSW dominated possession, QLD were too tired to even do anything with the ball and it took a miracle play from NSW in the final minute to win the game..

Despite all of the possession and getting a massive leg up from the refs, they could not close the game out earlier in the contest when they had the chances to.

QLD should have lost by more last night. They had no right to even be in the contest.

Hell, if Thurston gets those conversions, it goes to golden point. If the bunker didn't throw the rulebook out the window, NSW lose.

Next year the Blues won't have the benefit of having all of the calls go their way. There are still massive question marks over whether they can beat this Maroon's side when the game is on the line and the Maroons are playing at the top of their game.

Maybe the tide will turn one day, but it won't be in the next couple of years.

 

[holdzy]

Refs should have their papers stamped over that one. Disgusting.

One of the best defensive efforts I've ever seen in Origin by QLD in the last 10 before half time. Incredible. It JT kicks one moderately hard and one sitter then it was all even at the end. Shocker from JT.

Love the circle jerk by NSW like that victory means something - like they are setting themselves up for next year lol. Won't be getting that sort of biased reffing at Suncorp next year.

The game had it's moments, but ruined by crap reffing. Some good signs for NSW though, and I think the next few years will be pretty interesting. Backing QLD to make it three in a row, hopefully Milford gets a run next year.

 

[Broncoman]

Another thing. How disgusting was Phil Gould in the box as Jennings scored. Amateur shit from Channel 9.

I don't get what the big deal is. Remember when Mark Coyne scored in 1994 and Fatty was like 'oh yeeeahhhhh what about that Sterlo'. Also Wally and his mates cheer QLD whenever they do something good.

 

[Socnorb]

In my view something has happened to NSW under Gallen's stewardship. Ever since that cheapshot on Myles, or maybe even before that they seem to have lost their moral compass.
I know losing 10/11 would be hard, but if you put morons like Klemmer anf Fifita under Gallens control it just seems to be a downward spiraling race to the bottom.

 

[mrslong]

It really upsets me that the NRL season is derailed over a corrupt and/or inept performance by the officials and powers that be.

Origin needs to be moved or made so that it doesn't interrupt the NRL season as much as it does. Or at least make it be what it is - the best players from both states playing as well as they can and deciding the outcome.

That Jennings offside call was as bad as I've seen. It was shades of the Brett Hodgson knock on that lead to the Grothe try in 2006.

 

[Socnorb]

It really upsets me that the NRL season is derailed over a corrupt and/or inept performance by the officials and powers that be.

Origin needs to be moved or made so that it doesn't interrupt the NRL season as much as it does. Or at least make it be what it is - the best players from both states playing as well as they can and deciding the outcome.

That Jennings offside call was as bad as I've seen. It was shades of the Brett Hodgson knock on that lead to the Grothe try in 2006.

Also the forward pass from Maloney for the Frizzel try. I know we see them so open it's commonplace, it's just that it was so obvious. Maloney was stationary and the ball traveled forward over the 20m line.