Eddie et al

Of course he's going to back his referee

Still offside and always will be. Shocking decision but there's not much anyone can do about it now

Translation: I am a sad bitter 3 Time Loser who refuses to accept the FACTS

Except he's not offside, learn the rules. You know, rules, those things Saints keep breaking whenever they win a Grand Final.

And while you're at it try and teach Saints wingers how to catch a ball, and see if Leon Pryce knows there was a big game last weekend.

This is the bit most Saints Fans are not getting! It was arguably a tough decision/call but can never ever be classed as a shocking one. He was not blatantly offside or either blatantly on-side! It was very, very close call and PB decided that he felt that both Smith's feet were behind the ball, and therefore on-side in his opinion. It is not shocking and you and all the Saints fans are deluded to even think it was. It was a tough call that could have gone either way and because it did not go Saints way... you have decided it was shocking. It wasn't... FACT!

I can understand Saints fans not accepting the decision, even after its' been explained and justified.

Its' the clowns on Sky that still went on about it after the explanation that bugs me.

Most Saints fans have accepted it - in fact even the players graciously accepted it after the match during the post match interviews much to the annoyance of Bill Arthur who was dying for Sean Long to have a whinge to keep in line with the Sky hysteria.

You're quite right. I wasn't having a pop at the Saints fans but simply saying I could understand them not being happy about it or questioning it given the defeat.

What I can't tolerate is the so called unbiased experts going on and on about it.

And will still go on about it.

For years.

Agreed, the thing that annoyed me most was Phil Clarke. All season long when a similar incident has ocurred in a game he has always, without fail, told us about the rules whereby the player is only offside according to his feet not his body.
Yet on this one he immediately says that Smiths body is offside

Agreed - there are those who will never take the blinkers off - thought Bentham had no choice to give it after watching it over and over again. The thing that annoys most people about such decisions is that in another game, a different VR or even Bentham himself may give a no try it was that close.

As for Sky i'm pretty sure it's in the sky mandate to hype up and create some hysteria about something. It's the same with their football coverage were a lot of nothing events are hyped up by their commentry and studio team in an attempt to whip up some hysteria.

I agree! I did not say whether I thought he was right or wrong, but to ever describe the decision as shocking is wrong. It was tough, not shocking. It would have been the same had he given it either way, because it was such a close call.