Quote: the fax in asia "I apologize if I am wrong, but keeping onside and play the ball correctly, are they not basics?'"
Absolutely right about the basics but some refs seem to be keener on policing certain areas of the game and where Jack Smith is concerned offside is one of these, we get pinged more for being offside when he is in the middle than any other ref.
Against Widnes we got penalised at the ptb on several occasions for not playing it correctly and if we aren't doing so this leads to the pressure being unnecessarily put on ourselves instead of the opposition and giving penalties away when in possession is a coach killer and needs to be addressed.
On the other hand you can see identical ptb incidents that can go either way, one call will be penalty attack for interference another call will be penalty defence for incorrect play the ball.
The incident mentioned by Hudds is one example.
On the first play a yard from their line Arundel tries to play the ball and as he bends down to do so Craven and another push towards him rocking him slightly backwards which causes him to pause, steadies himself and before he gets chance to play it he gets penalise.
It’ seems there’s always one, earlier in the season it was any head contact and you were off which has now balanced out a bit,getting the ruck and ptb right still seems to be alluding the officials and remains as this seasons inconsistent annoying rule of the year.