Although the description on some media outlets (is it in the offical RFL release?) as "abuse of an official" is a bit strong...

Does the fact that a team is particularly good at playing within the rules and not giving up penalties really indicate some kind of refereeing problem?

Poor form from McDermott imo, I'm sure he's more than welcome to discuss any concerns he has with the rfl behind closed doors.

Thats quite right, even the amateur leagues have the opportunity to submit a referees performance rating, in confidence, its not for public airing.

That's clearly not the point though in our game alone it was blatant the 2 teams were reffed differently in terms of clearing the ptb and offsides etc.
I've no problem whatsoever with how we get penalised but i do expect to receive the same calls to go our way it's not asking for preferential treatment or blaming the ref for our own indiscipline just a request for both teams to be reffed the same way.
Also the Disciplinary panels review system was even more at fault following the game and those who made those calls or not in the Catalans case deserve sacking.

all lost on the clubs laptop that was stolen

apart from 2 or 3 i felt thaler was pretty good. leeds discipline was appalling. no complaints from me

i personally interpreted the comments that mac made was more to do with the fact that he had concerns as to why catalans consistently won the penalty count in their home games and for the past 2 seasons,i didn't believe he was solely responding to that particular game in isolation

if his facts back his statement up then that would be an alarming coincidence that they were more squeaky clean on each home game than their opponents and over a 2 year period too

maybe so but the fact is leeds discipline after that game improved massively. maybe he learnt a thing or two..........

But in the amateur leagues the coaches do not have a journalist stick a mic under the coaches nose and demand an interview immediately post match.

McDermotts interview was actually good viewing as these things go, whether we agree or not. If I were a coach I would answer every question Bill Arthur posed with "I cannot give an opinion for fear of sanction". How long would Sky put up with that? If there is going to be a post match interview I want to know what the coaches really think, not the usual sound bites and cliches, McDermott's post match interview was the only time in years I've seen that.

And I repeat IMO he was guarded enough that he didn't criticise the referee in the crass way Nathan Brown did at the weekend.

Yep. And McDermott's comments don't even come close to the abuse some refs get from some coaches in the amateur game.

Agreed. And to give McDermott the same punishment as that given to Lolesi who used foul and abusive language toward the ref is unfair in my opinion.

Phil Clarke on Boots 'n' All stats programme the other week showed them and it showed Mac was right in what he'd claimed. Cannot remember the exact ratio but I think it was something along the lines of Catalans have been awarded 4 x as many penalties at home per game than all other home teams in SL over the last 4 seasons

Genuine question - did the RFL fine Bernard Guasch and Trent Robinson for their "everyone is against us" rants about penalty counts after Leeds put them out of the playoffs?

Honestly can't remember.

AG-No they didn't nor did they when daniel Anderson had his Ian Smith meltdow and just by coincidence Smith never reffed ST's at home again that year.

the rfl is so inconsistent,everyone clearly wants one rule for all do they not?
the above highlighted comments were far more serious indiscretions than what mac did or did not say imo
it would be funny if the next time mac was interviewed after a game by sky if he just kept replying "i can't answer that one bill"
afterall isn't that what the rfl want to hear from coaches so that they don't have to hand the fines out