I don't think the ref was too bad tbh, the Smith tap restart was a bit unprofessional because you expect the refs to stick to the rules, and there was one try from a blatant forward, but the rest were 50-50. The BOD try after the Cronk knock on was a video ref mistake not a ref mistake (I don't think the Aussies themselves were really convinced by that one).

And yet here we are.

not corrupt just incompetent!

The same reason that players are who commit to Origin are told that they are barred from playing for other countries. The same reason that Costigan was stopped from playing from PNG this year despite being eligible, and other players have been stopped from playing for the likes of Samoa and Fiji. It's because the ARL are incompetent, corrupt dinosaurs. If you think they have any interest at all in even preserving let alone developing international RL then you are kidding yourself. They are dinosaurs and their sole intention is to maintain Australian dominance.

I think you’ll find that there’s a corruption underbelly in anything that’s mainstream in this society.

Remember when a few NRL players got shot at in the off season a few years ago?

That’s what happens if you don’t throw games for criminal overlords who decide the games winners and loser given the chance. Thankfully more often than not good beats bad!

Good post, also how did Adrian Lam get to play Origin?, had he already represented P.N.G? did he continue his international career after?

Do the A.R.L change the rules when they see fit?

first things first we were a poor second best this morning,however we got nothing from either the official or the video ref again and tbh its embarrassing for our sport that we allow such things to happen.

Yes, I think that also applies to their referees too

I'd roughly agree with that.

I genuinely believe that our full time referees are a hell of a lot better than the NRL equivalent. Some of the calls they have given over the past season have been dreadful.

Well if cricket managed to work out 20 years ago that home umpires are generally obliged to side with the home side, why hasn't Rugby League?

Having said that, on the occasions English refs have taken charge of GB/England vs. Australia games, they have been more than fair for both sides.

Jeebus, we even let them bring their own ref in 2003! That's when the RFL should have said "Enough!", and insisted on a panel of International referees for all games.

McNamara or Graham should come out now and tell it like it really is, instead of hiding behind diplomatic answers.

Lam played S o O as his first club was Brisbane Norths hence his Queensland qualification.
Aus v England in Australia with an Aussie ref. That's supposed to be impartial?
That is partial, partisan and biased.
Decisions made bringing that about are rotten to the core!

People keep saying we were making loads of mistakes, but would this have been the case had we not been knackered and demoralised by a bent ref? Anyone who plays any sport knows that mistakes happen when morale and concentration levels drop due to fatigue.

I'm not sure corrupt is the right word but there are major problems with the fabric of international rugby league.

When you have an Australian refereeing Australia he can go one of 2 ways. Either be biased towards Australia or be biased towards the opposition because he is trying too hard not to be biased towards Australia. It's only natural and is unfair to put a referee in that postion. I'd rather have a s**t neutral ref than a fantastic partizan one. All internationals HAVE to be reffed and video reffed by neutrals.

Secondly, once a player has represented a country he has chosen his rugby league nationality and should no longer be permitted to play for any other nation, developing or not.

I don't expect us to go down under and whallop the Kiwis and Australians but i do expect a fair crack at the whip, in all honisty i don't feel we got that this time.