NRL bans criticizing referees in post match media conferences

[Foordy]

NO comment. No comment. No comment.That’s all you might hear this season from Des Hasler after the NRL issued a pre-season edict to clubs banning coaches from talking about referees in their post-match media conferences.
“Shhhhhh, shhhhh, are you talking about referees?” said Canterbury coach Hasler when asked about the move at training on Wednesday.
“Sorry no comment. and I want it documented that you (the media) mentioned referees.” “Because I don’t want a fine. You can’t go near it. You can’t talk about referees.”
An often strident critic of the performance of referees, sometimes seemingly as a tactic to distract attention from his team’s performance, Hasler said he would attempt to avoid the topic all season.
“I think they (the NRL) said they are going to be ‘pragmatic and reasonable about it. Until I know what pragmatic and reasonable means I am not saying a word about referees. I love them,” Hasler said.
“I think you blokes (the media) will be out of a job though. You will have nothing to talk about.
“It will only go for a minute the post-match conference.
“That will suit me more than it will suit you.
“(Referees boss) Tony (Archer) might be busy Monday morning.”
ulldogs prop Aidan Tolman predicted Hasler might have to watch what he says this season.
“I suppose he will, he definitely says what he thinks and that is the way we like it,” Tolman said.
“Sometimes it gets frustrating on the field when you think referees are doing the wrong thing by you, but that is just the biased opinion sometimes.
“But if that’s the rules I guess we will have to stick by it.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-season-2015-canterbury-bulldogs-mentor-des-hasler-silent-on-nrls-ban-on-criticising-referees/story-fniabjcr-1227247878665

what the hell are Hasler and Toovey going to talk about in post match PCs if they can't complain about refs :laugh:

maybe instead of banning talk about refs, they should get some decent refs and stop the talk that way.

 

[Broncoman]

The standard of the referring is so poor it deserves to be criticized if nobody complains about them nothing will be done about them. Banning people from criticising referee's is just pathetic and doesn't give others a voice. The NRL are weak if their solution to everything is banning it.

 

[Crazy Sam]

Best decision the NRL's made in a while. The refereeing is absolutely nowhere near as bad as what everyone makes out. I can remember threads on this and other league forums 14-15 years ago whinging about Robert Finch and how bad the refs were under him back then.

I'm sick of hearing coaches bitching about refs when it is only designed to take the spotlight of their teams' poor performances. If there's one thing I liked about Griffin, it's that he never ripped into refs in the post match press conferences and indeed either didn't mention them or played them down when they were brought up.

 

[Morkel]

One thing I hate about the NRL is that, whether it's the actual decisions they make on the field, or how people speak about them after the game, they're made to be above reproach. Their solution is, instead of actually improving them, they put rules in place to make them "technically not wrong", even if they are not correct, and not able to be criticised even if they totally **** up. Remember, that's what the "make a decision and the Video Ref has to prove you 100% wrong" was all about. You've heard me explain the stupidity of that (compared to the logical 50:50 call being advantage attacker, 49:51 going to the likely team) so I won't bore you all again. And now this ruling I believe is to make the refs less of a talking point in the media. If a coach bagged a ref, it would be all over the regular columns, and in to the public's consciousness. In their thought process, removing the coaches criticism removes at least some of the press comments on refs and therefore there isn't as much public backlash. It's flawed logic, because that only really affects neutral or occasional fans. Passionate fans will still find a reason to hate the refs, often with good reason. But again, this is a Greenburg special - it doesn't matter if there are issues boiling below the surface, as long as you spin enough bullshit the greater public will believe you.

On the flip side, I do believe this goes some way to removing the intentional pressure some coaches put in refs in order to influence future games. That part of the NRL's argument I do agree with. There is no reward for a coach that takes ownership of his team's performance.

Still, with all this $50 million-odd surplus, they should just triple the refs wages, make it a job that people covet financially. And then bring in a perfectionist hardarse as the refs boss. One that doesn't tolerate failure. One that doesn't use KPI's and technicalities to explain away clearly incorrect decisions in order to protect the refs fragile egos. Pay them well, make them strive for it, and watch the cream rise to the top. Fix the fucking problem, don't just make it so we're not allowed to talk about the problem.

 

[Big Pete]

Good call by the NRL.

People whinge too much about the referees and they're under too much pressure from people with their own interests.

 

[Cult]

The refs are basically untouchable now. Captains can't even approach them during a game anymore. It's ridiculous how little responsibility they actually accept. They should face more questions from the media after a game.

I just want to see them pull up a few more forward passes from the Roosters, Farah and Smith.

 

[Big Pete]

I'm glad that they don't have to deal with captains either. It was becoming ridiculous - the amount of times a Michael Ennis, Jamie Lyon, Cam Smith or Kurt Gidley would hold up time so they could whinge about a call that the refs were usually right about was crap and ruined the spectacle.

I do think the NRL has to find a way to hold the referees accountable but the amount of blame they receive is ridiculous.

 

[Cult]

I'm glad that they don't have to deal with captains either. It was becoming ridiculous - the amount of times a Michael Ennis, Jamie Lyon, Cam Smith or Kurt Gidley would hold up time so they could whinge about a call that the refs were usually right about was crap and ruined the spectacle.

I do think the NRL has to find a way to hold the referees accountable but the amount of blame they receive is ridiculous.

I never thought I'd say it but they need Bill Harrigan to be in charge of whatever they decide to do. He is the only voice of reason who has been there and done it all. Maybe he reviews referee performances weekly in the NRL, Q Cup and NSW Cup and promotes and demotes whomever isn't up to standard.

I have heard a lot of the QLD Cup refs don't want to move to Sydney and for some reason that means they can't ref in the NRL? I honestly think the QLD Cup is regularly reffed much better than the NRL which leads to a more entertaining game.

 

[Nashy]

He already gave it a shot. They were absolutely fucking awful under him.

 

[Kimlo]

Great decision. I'm sick of coaches bitching post match about refs to get them to go easy the following game, and I'm also sick of captains intentionally wasting time by talking to the refs. I want to watch rugby league, there'll be plenty of other talking points. I don't care for press conferences focussed on ref performances, I'd rather coaches discus the performance of the players, which should bring more interesting discussion.

 

[Mr Fourex]

They should face more questions from the media after a game.

Yes...if coaches are forced to sit through post game interviews (which I think the NRL does impose on them) then referees should have to front the media as well after a game.

Surely they have to be accountable to someone.

 

[Crazy Sam]

"I made the decision because that's how I saw it at the time"

^^ There's your referee press conference for every match. Not sure what else you would expect them to say...

The referees are held accountable by the NRL, there is no reason the media or anyone else needs to be part of that process.

 

[Bucking Beads]

This is stupid. Everyone else in the game is open to criticism so why should the refs be any difference. It is about time they started to become accountable for their terrible calls they make in games.

 

[Sproj]

I don't see how this would hold up in court under freedom of speech laws. If a ref screws up and a coach legitimately and respectfully points it out, there is no legal option for fining someone in that instance.

 

[Foordy]

I don't care if the ban criticising refs, i mean it will certainly be good not listening to Hasler and Toovey blame everything on the refs, but ...

The NRL can't be of the opinion that can leave the standard of refereeing as it is. It is very poor, yet much of the time refs don't face consequences for their decisions. For example, when Gillett got sin binned for a professional foul when he was clearly entitled to make the tackle; in that situation the ref in question only faced not refing the game of the round the following week ... That sort of thing sends the wrong message to the refs IMO

 

[mitch222]

It will make the post match press conferences pretty boring.

Journo: What did you make of some of those controversial calls out there tonight?
Coach: Cant say anything on them sorry
Journo: Do you think that forward pass no call cost you the game?
Coach: Cant criticize any refs etc

The journos are still going to ask these questions multiple times and coaches will just get sick and tired of it not being able to answer them

 

[4evaBroncs]

EDIT: Off topic - stick to one thread please.