Penalties in the modern game

[CaptainHook]

Roy Masters has written an excellent article on refereeing , penalties etc this week. He leads off by saying this:

The practice of referees assuming the role of choreographers, or puppetmasters, is the worst it has ever been in the NRL.

The 50-50 calls tend to go in favour of the team down the ladder, as opposed to the process we saw 20-30 years ago where referees would check the penalty count at half-time and adjust accordingly in the second half.

Watch any game today between a top-of-the-ladder team and one down the bottom and it's the team in need of premiership points that tends to get the favourable calls. And the penalties come in bursts of the whistle.

This is not to say referees are cheats. Having witnessed some of the biased and blatant decision-making of the centre men of the 1970s and '80s, today's whistleblowers are inherently fair. They are decent, fit, highly knowledgeable people, dedicated to the game.

Perhaps too dedicated. Their weakness is a subconscious need to be party to an even contest, to avert blow-outs.

They seem to believe they have an obligation to the NRL to present a thrilling TV product, or a close result for spectators.

The whole article is worth a read here as he provides some solid data for how teams are doing penalty wise.

Here's a link: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-much-influence-on-games-20170811-gxu53i.html

 

[JayPee]

Roy Masters has written an excellent article on refereeing , penalties etc this week. He leads off by saying this:



The whole article is worth a read here as he provides some solid data for how teams are doing penalty wise.

Here's a link: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-much-influence-on-games-20170811-gxu53i.html

I stopped reading at the teams at the bootom of the table tend to get the favour of the calls. That is just a load of crap. Anyone watching the Knights all year could say the exact opposite.

 

[Dash]

I stopped reading at the teams at the bootom of the table tend to get the favour of the calls. That is just a load of crap. Anyone watching the Knights all year could say the exact opposite.

Exactly right. The teams and the bottom may get more penalties, but it doesn't mean they get the rub of the green. The Storm, Roosters etc have mastered the art of giving away deliberate penalties when their defensive line is struggling. This skews the penalty count, but doesn't favour the lower placed team. When it comes time for the 50/50 calls, the higher placed teams get the benefit of the doubt more often than not.

 

[Huge]

Ok folks, it's time for the truth. We ARE being shafted when it comes to PENALTIES RECEIVED.

There is no need to discuss here the penalties we concede, I'm only concerned with the ill discipline of our opponents.

Some facts which won't surprise you if you've watched the Broncos since day one.
The following is over the life of the Broncos, 31 years excluding 2020.

☆We've NEVER received the most penalties in a season.
☆ We've been last five (5) times, fewest received.
☆ We've been second last four (4) times
☆ We've been third last two (2) times
☆ We've been fourth last six (6) times
☆ We've been fifth last two (2) times
☆ We've been sixth last four (4) times

So, 23 of 31 years we've been bottom 6 for penalties awarded. Amazing.
That's not unlucky, that's deliberate.

Our best you ask? 2011 when we received the second highest number of penalties.
Next best year was 2009 when we were the fourth highest. Don't think we went well in the years I've left out either. I just stopped at 6th lowest. 7th 3 times, 8th 2 times. Add them and we've been bottom 8.... 28 of 31 years !!! **** me drunk!!!

There was a period where we were awarded the fewest penalties three years running!! 97,98,99. Amazingly that was when the NRL was it's biggest, numbers wise. 20 team comps!!!

Okay, the stats I've provided may contain mistakes but are not totally corrupted and I'm only as good as the data, my eyesight, my math but it's probably very close to accurate.

Think about it, 28 of 31 years, bottom 8 for penalties. I'd think it reasonable if we were top 8 for half the time and bottom 8 the other or close to that but I'm not a stats guy but I know some of you are so, tell me what you think.

 

[Nashy]

Imagine a world where they blew the whistle fora rule violation and based that decision to blow the whistle on absolutely and utterly nothing except a black and white rule that was broken.

 

[Harry Sack]

Imagine a world where they blew the whistle fora rule violation and based that decision to blow the whistle on absolutely and utterly nothing except a black and white rule that was broken.

 

[Galah]

@Huge I’m not surprised in the slightest, nice job. When we copped twelve straight in the second half against manly and eventually lost, I was shocked that nothing was said about it. Has that ever happened before? And why wasn’t there questions asked? To me that’s about as obvious as it gets.

Go easy on my grammar.

 

[Old Mate]

Ok folks, it's time for the truth. We ARE being shafted when it comes to PENALTIES RECEIVED.

There is no need to discuss here the penalties we concede, I'm only concerned with the ill discipline of our opponents.

Some facts which won't surprise you if you've watched the Broncos since day one.
The following is over the life of the Broncos, 31 years excluding 2020.

☆We've NEVER received the most penalties in a season.
☆ We've been last five (5) times, fewest received.
☆ We've been second last four (4) times
☆ We've been third last two (2) times
☆ We've been fourth last six (6) times
☆ We've been fifth last two (2) times
☆ We've been sixth last four (4) times

So, 23 of 31 years we've been bottom 6 for penalties awarded. Amazing.
That's not unlucky, that's deliberate.

Our best you ask? 2011 when we received the second highest number of penalties.
Next best year was 2009 when we were the fourth highest. Don't think we went well in the years I've left out either. I just stopped at 6th lowest. 7th 3 times, 8th 2 times. Add them and we've been bottom 8.... 28 of 31 years !!! **** me drunk!!!

There was a period where we were awarded the fewest penalties three years running!! 97,98,99. Amazingly that was when the NRL was it's biggest, numbers wise. 20 team comps!!!

Okay, the stats I've provided may contain mistakes but are not totally corrupted and I'm only as good as the data, my eyesight, my math but it's probably very close to accurate.

Think about it, 28 of 31 years, bottom 8 for penalties. I'd think it reasonable if we were top 8 for half the time and bottom 8 the other or close to that but I'm not a stats guy but I know some of you are so, tell me what you think.

Yet every fuckwit on Facebook loves to throw out #penaltybroncos.

 

[Huge]

@Huge I’m not surprised in the slightest, nice job. When we copped twelve straight in the second half against manly and eventually lost, I was shocked that nothing was said about it. Has that ever happened before? And why wasn’t there questions asked? To me that’s about as obvious as it gets.

Go easy on my grammar.

Impeccable! What about 10 nil!

 

[Huge]

Yet every fuckwit on Facebook loves to throw out #penaltybroncos.

To be honest I was expecting a bit more outrage from my fellow posters. Earlier on some were saying we'd been getting a raw deal going back to 2015 but I suspected it was going on since we entered the comp and the stats show a clear bias against the Broncos. I also think the Warriors in their various iterations have been very unfairly treated but I didn't research that but still might do.

When you take into account our incredibly bad record at the judiciary the bias is even more obvious. I think at one stage we hadn't had a single downgrade for 15 years although you shouldn't quote me saying, that's a fact. I'd like to see our judiciary penalties on a graph with other clubs records for comparison. I was even thinking of asking(paying for) David Middleton's company to provide all the data. Don't know why I think he has a company that does thatthough.

28 times from 31 years we've been in the bottom for penalties received. So hard to swallow.

 

[Galah]

To be honest I was expecting a bit more outrage from my fellow posters. Earlier on some were saying we'd been getting a raw deal going back to 2015 but I suspected it was going on since we entered the comp and the stats show a clear bias against the Broncos. I also think the Warriors in their various iterations have been very unfairly treated but I didn't research that but still might do.

When you take into account our incredibly bad record at the judiciary the bias is even more obvious. I think at one stage we hadn't had a single downgrade for 15 years although you shouldn't quote me saying, that's a fact. I'd like to see our judiciary penalties on a graph with other clubs records for comparison. I was even thinking of asking(paying for) David Middleton's company to provide all the data. Don't know why I think he has a company that does thatthough.

28 times from 31 years we've been in the bottom for penalties received. So hard to swallow.

I’d chip in.

 

[Morkel]

@Huge I’m not surprised in the slightest, nice job. When we copped twelve straight in the second half against manly and eventually lost, I was shocked that nothing was said about it. Has that ever happened before? And why wasn’t there questions asked? To me that’s about as obvious as it gets.

Go easy on my grammar.

I'll cut her some slack as she's getting old.

 

[Huge]

I'll cut her some slack as she's getting old.

?????

 

[Old Mate]

To be honest I was expecting a bit more outrage from my fellow posters. Earlier on some were saying we'd been getting a raw deal going back to 2015 but I suspected it was going on since we entered the comp and the stats show a clear bias against the Broncos. I also think the Warriors in their various iterations have been very unfairly treated but I didn't research that but still might do.

When you take into account our incredibly bad record at the judiciary the bias is even more obvious. I think at one stage we hadn't had a single downgrade for 15 years although you shouldn't quote me saying, that's a fact. I'd like to see our judiciary penalties on a graph with other clubs records for comparison. I was even thinking of asking(paying for) David Middleton's company to provide all the data. Don't know why I think he has a company that does thatthough.

28 times from 31 years we've been in the bottom for penalties received. So hard to swallow.

Yeah I’ve always thought we’d been dudded but that really is horrible.

And as far as the judiciary, the only times I can think of a broncos player getting off or downgraded is Hodges in 2015 and Karmichael Hunt after he shoulder charged Braith Anasta in the face whenever that was.

Edit: 2008 for Hunt, wow. I can recall twice in 12 years we’ve done alright with the judiciary.

 

[Foordy]

Ok folks, it's time for the truth. We ARE being shafted when it comes to PENALTIES RECEIVED.

There is no need to discuss here the penalties we concede, I'm only concerned with the ill discipline of our opponents.

Some facts which won't surprise you if you've watched the Broncos since day one.
The following is over the life of the Broncos, 31 years excluding 2020.

☆We've NEVER received the most penalties in a season.
☆ We've been last five (5) times, fewest received.
☆ We've been second last four (4) times
☆ We've been third last two (2) times
☆ We've been fourth last six (6) times
☆ We've been fifth last two (2) times
☆ We've been sixth last four (4) times

So, 23 of 31 years we've been bottom 6 for penalties awarded. Amazing.
That's not unlucky, that's deliberate.

Our best you ask? 2011 when we received the second highest number of penalties.
Next best year was 2009 when we were the fourth highest. Don't think we went well in the years I've left out either. I just stopped at 6th lowest. 7th 3 times, 8th 2 times. Add them and we've been bottom 8.... 28 of 31 years !!! **** me drunk!!!

There was a period where we were awarded the fewest penalties three years running!! 97,98,99. Amazingly that was when the NRL was it's biggest, numbers wise. 20 team comps!!!

Okay, the stats I've provided may contain mistakes but are not totally corrupted and I'm only as good as the data, my eyesight, my math but it's probably very close to accurate.

Think about it, 28 of 31 years, bottom 8 for penalties. I'd think it reasonable if we were top 8 for half the time and bottom 8 the other or close to that but I'm not a stats guy but I know some of you are so, tell me what you think.

but, but, but ... #PenaltyBroncos

don't tell me that's erroneous!

 

[Huge]

I'm doing a little more research on just who has received the most favourable treatment over the Broncos lifetime and I bet a few on here can guess which team it is.

 

[BroncsFan]

I'm doing a little more research on just who has received the most favourable treatment over the Broncos lifetime and I bet a few on here can guess which team it is.

It'll be any team that the NRL want to push (cowboys, storm, bunnies, etc.)... i know over the last few years the cowboys sit right near the top in terms of getting penalties.

I sit there and watch their games and can barely recall them having to get out of their own end half the time, because they get a leg up penalty... it's changed a little this year because of the 6 agains and not being able to kick it 30m down the field anymore

Although if you're going over 30 years I don't know, because the NRL agenda changes so much

 

[Huge]

but, but, but ... #PenaltyBroncos

don't tell me that's erroneous!

Righto:

Which team has been the refs favourite?
The team we all hate the most...MANLY

How much have they been favoured, a little, a moderate amount or a fuckton?

You guessed it right. One extremely large fuckton.
Seven times they've received the most penalties in a season!!!
So biased were the referees that for four years running, I kid you not they were awarded the most. 95, 96, 97, 98. In fact from 1988 to 1998 they received the most penalties 6 seasons out of 10!!!!

For comparison the next group of saints were Cronulla with 4 seasons as the most favoured team however that was spread over 16 seasons, 1999-2015.

So over the life of the Broncos some teams have been clearly preferenced. Here's a breakdown.
Manly 7
Cronulla 4
Canberra 3
WesTigers 3
Parramatta 3
Cows,Saints,Souths,Canterbury and the defunct West's 2
Storm,Newcastle and amazingly, the Gold Coast with 1 each.

Note: In 1992, our golden year three teams tied for the highest number of penalties awarded Gold Coast, Manly of course and old Western Suburbs.

Which team has conceded the most penalties the most often?

Well, that's a shared honour, each 3 times and they are
Newcastle, Canterbury, Canberra, Sydney Roosters and the Gold Coast.
Next (best/worse) with 2 are NZ, West Tigers, Cronulla, St George and Penrith.
With one season each we have the Crushers, Parramatta, The amazing Manly and of course, the Broncos in 1990.

Conclusions. We've always been a well disciplined team but have never been rewarded. Manly were unfairly favoured particularly in our early years. Two names were responsible for that systemic cheating, Authurson and Quayle.