We wont make the final

Do people not realise that the Era of Australian dominance in Rugby League is over. Ageing world stars are getting replaced by players of inferior quality and all of a sudden its taken an Australian Ref in the 2nd half with blinkers on one side to allow Australia to get into the game. The amount of late hits and the deliberate hit on Graham's leg by Bird and they got away with it. Never-mind the offside rule but the ref as consistent on that one though.

The England side is a fairly young team with players who will get better. The Superstarts of the NRL are a lot better but they are getting old and are getting replaced by players that are not that much better than those in Super League.

England will beat New Zealand its a question of will Bentham return the favour if he gets the Samoa game.

Final proof

Time for Australian RL to hang it's collective head in shame. We have video refs for just that reason. Just because a player, flying through the air, is not sure it does not make the case against the Australian coach will never say "we should have lost," and it is not expected of him. Anyone else watching that replay would have to say that it was a try. The video ref has just done what he thought was expected of him, which was produce the "right result". I would never expect anything else. Remember that in Australian sport winning is everything and that tomorrow the papers will record an Australian win, probably setting up an Australia v New Zealand final (I expect Australia to pull the points difference around even if we beat NZ). The NFL officials will look a little sheepish whilst all the time thinking FU.

Not much 'rising' going on with that ball.

but...but...but its a fifty-fifty call
it wasnt [imorally [/ia try
ryan hall didnt celebrate so i wouldnt have given it
if the aussies had scored that try people would be upset maybe

Again I ask which fckwit in the England management agreed to the NRL's request for an Australian ref and VR when they were well within entitlement to demand a neutral ref?

Again- since when did players celebrations determine try/ no try?

My suspicion is that Hall knows he touched it but didn't think he'd grounded it. He therefore didn't appeal in the hope the ref would give the drop-out.

*edit* Just seen a post-match interview with Hall and that's exactly what he says.

The refs are decided by a three man panel.

Jon Sharp is the English rep.

Australia and NZ both get a ref to cover their games.
Aussie ref Aussie game.

NZ ref NZ via Samoa.

Go figure who gout outvoted about independent refs

Just having a look at the Australian media. Some fine pictures of what happened either side of the incident but no attempt to show the actual grounding. The apologists and quislings are using the images to "prove" that the ball was not touched down. The whole façade is up and the official line is that the video ref made a great decision and that the best team won, and even if they cheated then it was the "right" result so it doesn't matter. The Australian(newspaper) even comments that though we have a considerably better points difference, even if England beat New Zealand they are unlikely to go through to the final. The arrogance of the Aussie media is astounding, or are the conspiracy theorists right?