Quote: Hollywood Harrigan "Right, sorry if this has been cleared up after the post I am quoting but I havent got that far yet.
Anywhoooo... the TJ didnt stand his ground at all. He stopped because he was in line with play and then carried on running as play moved on. If he had thought it was a forward pass he would have stopped quickly, put the flag to his chest in a vertical position and told Ian Smith through the mic. Also had Smith not seen him the TJ would have pulled up about a metre short of the goal line flag as the ball was grounded and before awarding the try Smith would have checked both his TJs and on seeing one short of the in flag he would have gone to inquire. As this did not happen the TJ must have run through to the back of the in goal area signaling all is OK with the build up or at worst he must have been stood on the flag signaling that he did not see the grounding but the rest of the play was fine.
The pass was a mile forward but that is not Smith's fault. As a referee you get into positions sometimes where it is impossible to tell and at that level the TJ's should be getting ones like that every time. The fact he had to take a step or two after the ball had been passed should have been enough. But as I say, to blame Smith is stupid (although IMO I dont rate him as a SL standard referee) and all blame for that lays on the TJs shoulders as it happened right in front of him whereas Smith was 10 meters back at an angle.'"
The post-match press reporting of the Match Commissioner's report suggests otherwise. I suppose it depends whether or not you believe the Hull Daily Mail. Not sure why they would make it up to be honest.
If Smith replied down his mic 'play-on' after initial contact from the TJ then the TJ may well have taken that as read thereby negating any further action by him as the play continued. All speculation of course.
