Wigans try did look a bit forward but it couldn't have been that far forward surely. I couldn't believe it when Melis try was given. Good stuff

I do not think I have ever seen Michael Dobson pass the ball backwards. If the referees ever started calling forward passes HKR would have to rederegister him.

I have to agree with Saddened If the refs don't call forward passes and don't give any penalties (which seems to be the in thing at the moment) what is the point in having them. We can start with the touch judges, they can pay to get in like the rest of us, at least we bother to watch the game.

It's all down to bottle, in my view. A part-time official is in a stadium packed with fans of a team that is losing 10-0 and has a walk-in try, unless he makes an instant decision that the pass is forward. Hesitation is human, and as you can't go to the screen for it, once he hesitated, the moment is gone. Anything else would have made him trot backwards for a video ref decision.

Cant do that.....half of wigan's tries would be ruled out and they would be back to mid table mediocrity once again !! (like Leeds are under Mcdermott )

other solution is to get robots to replace those incompitent wastes of spunk running the lines. Its very difficult for a referee to see a lot of forward passes especially as he is stood 10 metres in front of play and he relies on those tools on the sidelines. it beggars belief sometimes when the liners are right in line and have a much better view than speccies and they still dont see it.....bring in robots. If we had brought in robots years ago we probably would not now have James Childs as a referee !!

Anyone who claimed that Deacon didnt knock on because the ball hit him in the face has shown their ignorance as far as the rules of the game are concerned.

The RFL changed the rules when John Harison nutted the ball in the 90's against Sheffield Eagles for a try. Therein any contact with the head is a knock on.

You mean this bit of the laws?



Which would suggest it should be a penalty. Of course both this and the definition of a knock-on (which doesn't mention the head at all) require an active attempt to play at the ball. The ball simply hitting a player's head or hand is neither a penalty nor a knock on.

That's how I viewed it. Deacon clearly made no attempt to play at the ball and probably didn't even see it coming. That said, the call could have gone either way.

As for forward passes, I agree entirely it's beyond a joke. Leeds were getting pulled up for theirs the other week and allowed to get away with them this week and look at the result - 3 tries either directly or indirectly involving clear forward passes. We (Wigan) had a few let go last night, but then so did Saints. I don't blame the teams or players - it happens and if the officials aren't pulling them up you can push the limits - I blame the officials. Linesmen probably have the best view - why aren't they advising the ref or flagging??

Pretty sure Shaun Briscoe once got hit in the head with the ball and scored for us a few years back, and the ref ruled that he hadn't played at the ball so the try stood?

I dont understand why we cant use the video ref for forward passes .. I mean sometime you might not be able to make the call but then it reverts back to 'refs call' as with other incidents where the video is inconclusive. The pass yesterday was a joke but knowhere near as bad as that effort in the Leeds game

Having spent a few happy hours watching Super League & NRL games I have a few questions,
1, Has anyone noticed that now nearly every play the ball in the NRL is done properly hence hardly any penalties for markers not square, they dont get as many quick play the balls as we seem to get but the games are still good to watch & they have to work hard to get a roll on.(this may well come to haunt us in the Autumn if, sorry when we are made to play to thier rules.
2, Who has decided that referees are allowed to decide wich rules they will penalise this week? Two games this weekend so far I have seen at least three penalties for not square at marker when the ball player has moved forward off the mark & not even played the ball correctly. if the the ball is played with the foot the defending players have time to get set(watch the NRL this season).
3, The old chestnut the forward pass I can except that some will be missed & I can deal with thjat but we have all seen at live games blatant forward passes & the touch judge is in line & wont or is not allowed to intervene.

I suspect that the touch judges are not consulted in the name of keeping the game flowing & there in lies my main question, WHO has decided that the game should speed up to the point that the rules are ignored? In the 50 years I have watched this game no one has ever asked my opinon on what I want & suspect that not many other supporters have been asked (I was not asked as a player either). My main point is that rules are rules enforce them or if they are no good change them. Mistakes by officials on the pitch we can live with but a seemingly official policy of selective enforcement Is not right.

I assume you were running up and down the terracing being in line with play to ascertain this!!!!

For all those calling the touch judges, Richard Silverwood was referee in that one as well as at Wigan. Surely time to take some responsibility.

As a neutral I felt Saints were robbed of that game yesterday because intead of them going in full of beans at 10-0 up Wigan's heads lifted with that forward pass try and they came out from the break firing and took control.
It wasn't a 50/50 call either it was blatently forward and not excusable,it should have been seen.
Also Leeds seem to do a forward in every set that hardly ever gets picked up.