www.loverugbyleague.com/news_181 ... hange.html Interesting considering some of the decisions in that game.

www.loverugbyleague.com/news_181 ... hange.html Interesting considering some of the decisions in that game.

He's right that something needs to change, but not sure there needed to be a Catalans bias to it. However if they do have the lions share of penalties in all of their homes like he states, he would have a point as they are very indisciplined.

The main issue is consistency, not just between referees or seasons, but actually within games. Saints were pinged for offside so many times, yet Catalans used exactly the same tactics as us and they were off the line just as quickly and didn't seem to be penalised for offside once. Someone mentioned yesterday that it's been over 220 minutes since Saints last received a penalty for offside. (Again, unsure how true that is, sounds ridiculous).

Competence is another question altogether. We all saw a forward pass ignored by the touch judge and the 1 on 1 strip ruled as a penalty that ultimately was the difference in the game.

SL officiating is horrendous on the whole. If two referees makes things better they have to look at it.

He seems to be correct:

Catalans have played 7 games at home, and the penalty count is in their favour every game:

9 -13
5 - 7
5 - 10
5 - 8
2 - 5
7 - 11
6 - 13

In their 7 away games the penalty count is in their favour 3 times:

Cats - Opponents (penalties conceded)
8 - 12
9 - 6
6 - 5
7 - 7
6 - 4
5 - 13
6 - 7

Yet again someone who does not know the rules!

rlhttps://www.therfl.co.uk/the-rfl/rules/official_laws/16_match_officialsrl

The Touch Judge has no jurisdiction to proactively police forward passes - it's in the referee's discretion to ask the touchie to help, but ultimately it is ONLY the referee who can make the call.

I can't see which rule you are referring to in that link, that states that the touch judge is not allowed to tell the referee there was a forward pass.

The most relevant to me is the Referee shall look at both Touch Judges before awarding a try."

As I read it, from the paragraph "Accept Touch Judge Decision 10" - it seems quite clear on defining the Touch Judge's duties
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Accept Touch Judge decision 10. The Referee shall accept the decision of an official Touch Judge relating to touch and touch in-goal play and to kicks at goal.

Touch Judge 11. Each Touch Judge shall remain in touch, one on each
side of, and near to, the playing field except:–

(a) when judging kicks at goal (see Section 6) and

(b) when reporting a player’s misconduct which has escaped the notice of the Referee.

Flag 12. Each Touch Judge must carry an approved flag.

Indicating Touch 13. A Touch Judge shall indicate when and where the ball goes into touch by raising his flag and standing opposite the point of entry into touch except in the case of ‘ball back’ (see Section 9 para. 4) when the Touch Judge must indicate that no ground has been gained by waving his flag above his head accentuating the movement in the direction of the kicker’s goal-line.

Indicating Touch in-Goal 14. If the ball enters touch in-goal the Touch Judge shall wave the flag across the body and below the waist. With the other hand he/she points to either the goal line or twenty metre line depending on where play should be restarted. Do not point to the player who made the ball dead.

Judge kicks at goal 15. Touch Judges shall assist the Referee in judging kicks at goal. (See Section 6 para.10).

Indicating 10 metres 16. When a free kick is being taken, both Touch Judges shall take up a position near the touch line ten metres beyond the mark to act as markers for the
team which is required to retire.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Nowhere does it say that the Touch Judge should indicate forward passes?

Referee – Sole judge 5. Only the Referee, or if available, the video referee, may award a try, but the Referee may take into consideration advice given by the Touch Judges before arriving at his decision.

But nowhere does it say that the Touch Judge is not allowed to pro-actively indicate a forward pass, which seemed to be your original point.

To be fair, the one on Saturday was so far forward a capable referee shouldn't have needed any assistance from the touch judge. He had enough assistance from Adam Swift anyway.

The point I'm making is that it is expicitly stated what the touch judge SHALL do and that doesn't include indicating forward passes. Now I completely agree that a good referee will use his touch judges to assist, but there is no scope for a touchie to wave his flag after seeing a forward pass.

As reffy pointed out, the ref "MAY" take into account advice from the touch judge not "MUST"

All in all the powers of the touch judge are very limited and having listened over the years to spectators
yelling for them to do something (usually shouting "linesman" of course) it seems that a large percentage of fans do not know the rules regarding touch judges

Did team not play to the rules and got beaten.

I suggest that if players played to the rules, and actually understood them , then the penalty count would be minimal.

However this is professional sport and if you think you can get away with it then you will try. If caught then accept it and don't behave like a spoiled brat.

It's always the players that break the rule, can't the whingers see this?

Are you a ref yourself? Have you read the article? It's reflects very poorly on the match officials and the RFL. Cunningham alleges Sharp acknowledges that the decisions he's complaining about are incorrect, but cannot make the officials accountable as he only has FIVE full time officials. He's accepting there is a problem but stating he doesn't have the resources to do anything about it.

The very nature of competitive sport means that players will always seek to gain an advantage and infringe on the rules of the game. No one in the game would mind being penalised when they break the rules, Cunningham is fine with that. What he's not okay with is other teams doing exactly the same and not being penalised.

The officiating in SL is an absolute mess.