I enjoyed that

Glad Wire won. Serves Saints right for all the squad resting against London

Did you say the same after we rested players against Wigan and then lost the semi against Hull?

Its something that happens but rarely seems to work in my eyes. Players need to go into big games battle hardened.

Similarly in the top 5 playoff system when a team used to go straight through to the Grand Final and have a week off before it they used to come unstuck at Old Trafford quite a bit.

Cracking game.
I'm no lover of Hicks but Thaler was appalling for disallowing Wire a try for brushing a hair on a teammates leg.

It went up as no try for contact with the man playing the ball. There was no evidence to overturn that.

Yep. Clearly as both Hicks and Thaler gave no try for that reason there must have been a decision made that that isn’t allowed. Quite why I have no idea.

It is a stupid interpretation. He wasn’t obstructing, and that is what it was disallowed for, the interpretation of this been contact. The fact he didn’t even make contact, shown clearly on the replays, just highlights how poor these full time officials are, but doesn’t change the wrong usage of the rules.

Why can they not get back to refereeing to the rule book, instead of what they have rewritten in their heads only, over last few years.

The big change in these officials started the minute they went full time. It was a mistake, and has got worse as they continue to keep trying to justify their existence. All we need is officials to apply the rules of the game.

If referees ref to the rule book you wouldnt have a game as there would be a penalty every single play the ball. They have to manage the game and let it flow as best they can. In the main they do a decent job.

What I dont understand is why does a referee when sending a decision to the video ref because he doesn't know whether or not a try has been scored have to make a guess which then influences the video refs decision? That is wrong to me.

I rarely comment on referees as they give what they give and it's up to the players to deal with it. I also accept that referees are human and just like players and coaches make mistakes. I also refereed for several years so I know the job a little bit but what I dont get is why to the other referees defend clear mistakes? Ian Smith on Twitter said Hicks got the Morgan Knowles no try decision correct. He clearly didnt and made an error to everyone who saw it.

Yes Marty i agree regards the refs going up to the VR and having to give their opinion when they don't have a clue, but their opinion can have a huge baring on the final verdict... this needs looking at for me.

Correct Marty and Biff , just a guessing game from the on field official

Is there any reason why I can’t award a try...

Union have got it spot on.

That's even worse if the vr interprets it as meaning to look at everything in slowmo. To me its the intent - everyone should assume a try unless clear evidence to the contrary. Otherwise you get nitpicking on things that no ref would spot in real time.

That’s exactly how I read the union interpretation. I think it’s a try, I want to award one, so you need to tell me why I can’t.

I hate it when a good move for a try is scrubbed because of some microscopic 'loss of control' that can only be seen when slowing right down.

I've no issue with the vr being able to slow down for something like obstruction, but IMO grounding ought to be real time only. The mythical search for perfection is the problem.