If you haven't seen it yet it is on that well known video site...

Apparently, according to some AUS press, he's going to appeal the 1 match ban he was given. His lawyer will be presenting evidence against his ban, including the fact that the NRL showed the incident on its web page for days after!!

IMO, the ref should have changed the scrum to a penalty for dissent. If he'd continued his team should've been marched back 10m, and, if it still continued Thurston should've been given 10mins to consider what a silly boy he'd been.

What's new there? Thurston is the biggest sour-faced whinger in our game. That's even taking Kyle Eastmond into account.

He got off with a not guilty, joke. He is a protected species. The ref should be dropped, he has no respect on the field and should have sat Thurston down for 10mins.

That is ridiculous
if the aussies want that in their game they can keep it, i dont watch football too much anymore but that happens after every decision
he should blow immediately for a penalty, if he keeps going then bye bye
shows you something though, the aussies crack under pressure!

Watching the game, the cowboys had a lot go against them and to me it was pure frustration. Don't think it will be long before something similar happens in super league if the decline in the standard of refs continues over here.

I watched it live and couldnt believe what I was seeing--should have been a yellow card--very weak refereeing and to let him off shows an unusual weakness in the Australian disciplinary.

Thurston, for all his talents, is a big girl's blouse. Can't stand anything going against him. Must always be right.

Get over yourself.

Bet if he played for your club and was English you wouldnt be saying that

Thurston is a petulant little $hit. Robinson should have binned him, but these Ocker refs don't have any balls. If that was Ganson he was blowing up at, he would have been dealt with like he should have been.

No...I'd call him a whinging little English toe-rag who should show respect to the officials, regardless of they were inept or not.
Respect for the officials is not something they have to earn......it is a given that the ref's decision, regardless of if it's correct or not, IS FINAL. Any backchat should be a straight Red in my opinion...unless we want to go down the wendyball route...

Isn't there a forum for NRL willy waving?

Yep....but the constant gnashing of teeth and posting of urls (lazy posting) by a certain few has driven sane posters to the VT.

FWIW, this decision sets a precedent that could have a knock on effect throughout the game and probably desrves to be on the VT. As with other sports (there's a forum for that too BTW

) kids look up to and copy their idols.....and backchat to the ref should be nipped in the bud. Coloured boots, lip to the ref, what next...feigning injury to get other players in trouble? A slippery slope and IMO Thurston should have had his ban doubled on appeal!

The trouble with JT is that he is a very talented and passionate player and hates losing. You can't fault him for that. I wish certain other players in the NRL had his passion for winning.

The Cowgirls are very poor this year and he is frustrated.

And I don't blame him for giving the ref a spray. Some of the decisions in that game were poor to say the least.

exactly.

Whether the decisions are right or wrong is irrelevant. This is the sort of behaviour that is now common in soccer and is a blight on that game, extending even down to kids competitions.

It should be stamped out in our game!

It should come as no surprise that I completely disagree with you.

I'm as sick as JT with all these shonky refereeing decisions.


A referee isn't some omnipotent being who is right all the time every time. These people aren't gods.

They make mistakes.

Lots of them.


Barry McKenzie feels it's correct they are made aware of these mistakes.

The ref had a shocker and he knew it. That's why Thurston got away with it.

So change the rules of the game then... specifically section 15, para 1.g...

I'll spare you looking it up, it is part of the definition of misconduct - 'disputes the decision of the Referee or Touch Judge'. Misconduct is punishable by a penelaty and, at the refree's discretion, 10 minutes off the field.

I agree wholeheartedly.

The rules of the game should be changed immediately.

Just because a referee makes a decision it doesnt mean its correct.


I applaud JT and indeed anyone else who reminds officials that they have made a mistake.

I'm sure that, now you have pronounced, the powers that be will immediately take action. Well, at least in your dreams.

Lets hope so Jimbo.

Barry McKenzie doesnt like to brag about his connections but lets just say the good people at GPO Box 3498 are aware of my concerns




Hopefully 2 of the biggest names in League (McKenzie and Gallop) can sort this issue out once and for all.

Well, when you and your chum set up your anarchistic little haven, please let me know where it is so I can avoid it.

How can you call Thurston a 'big girls blouse'? The guy takes the field with men 3 or 4 stone plus on his weight. He shines in every game and is just a awesome talent in general.

The lads got passion which all great players have. Farrell and Sculthorpe used to whinge at Refs aswell.

And non of them could have competed with Shaun Edwards and his little tirades when things didnt go his way.

In short he deserves what he gets , this isnt football.

Nah Sinfield by a country mile and then some!!!