I only remember it once, some are saying he did it twice near the line for the penalty goals we took, but after watching the highlights he did it once (Same amount as Wakefield did, but are getting little criticism), I 'll watch the game back when its available, but I'm sure he only did it once.

Whatever way you look at it, it's a penalty, what if Hull had an overlap on one side and couldn't pass it because of a player in an offside position, why should the attacking team be punished because a player is in the way, is it any different from running at a player deliberately in an offside position, which hookers have done for years?

Excellent post, one of the few to see the game through unbiased eyes.

Not really refs fault, Hull were operating within the laws of the game. But this exploitation of it cheapens the game for me.

I bekieve they can award the penalty the other way if someone does it...

And so did Wakefield.

So its OK just laying there hindering the play the ball and slowing it down. Surely that's unsportsmanlike as well. IMO the whole ruck area needs sorting.

Its a tough one.Technically its a penalty for offside,so the ref has little alternative.
The problem is that with a quick play the ball,the player that tackled from behind always runs the risk of being offside.
He simply can't get up quick enough to put himself back onside,so he elects to just lie there,the alternative is he gets up and attempts to get onside but still gets caught offside if the player runs into him or throws the ball at him.
All teams will try and work the laws of the game to the limit,whether that results in plays that we all agree with is debatable.
We've already seen some refs not give penalties when attacker deliberately runs at an offside player retreating.
Maybe a rule change required?
If and thats a big IF the ref is convinced the ball was deliberately passed/thrown at the player award a penalty against the attacker.Im sure the risk of being penalised for this current practice would go some way to eradicating it.

I agree prince buster and agree it needs sorting asap.

It's a fine line isn't it.Some call it unsporting conduct when attacking,others see it as a ploy from the opposition to slow the game down.Either way the player is offside and it's their duty to be onside.I don't see what rule change could be made other than a warning for the player offside.

Yes it is...completely different!

If a hooker runs at a defender who's attempting to get back onside, with arms in air like they do, but not attempting to tackle then it's play on...the second that player looks to attempt to tackle it's rightly a penalty...

Why should the other scenario be any different?...like Arona yesterday...involved in the tackle on muddy, heavy ground...had his leg caught under the player...tried to get up and out of the way but was impossible for him to get onside...he put his arms up as if to say I'm offside but what can I do...he made no attempt to play at the ball...it was just poor from Houghton to throw it straight at him to gain a cheap penalty...if he's offside and makes a play for it fair enough...

I agree with the majority...it's a poor side of the game that's crept in and will get ridiculously out of control and spoil the game if not nipped in the bud early IMO...

Perhaps if they make the player play the ball with his foot it will slow the ruck down enough for a tackling player to get out of the way?

It should be up to the ref to decide if the player is making every effort to not interfere with the PTB.
Of course, you can argue that by being in an offside position, the defending player is interfering but, yesterday, Houghtons "pass" was straight at the player and had he made the same pass, without a defender to aim at, it would have gone straight to ground.

It's a difficult area because if there is a player obstructing the side of the ruck, where the half back wants to pass, there is a risk of a poor pass, which may result in loss of momentum or worse for the attacking side.

Having already seen more penalties for this offence in just a few games than the whole of last season, there has to have been a directive to clear the ruck area and although we got done yesterday, in the longer term it should be a good thing, as long as the ref's are consistent and Campbell pinged both teams for the same offence. Unfortunately, Hull benefited more than Wakefield yesterday but, they wont always be so "lucky".

Don't be silly! Next you'll be asking that a tackled player regains his feet, faces the correct direction and doesn't move from the mark before playing the ball!

People seem to be forgetting that Finn did exactly the same early on??

isnt it only like running at a defender when he is offside to draw the penalty?