The ref is never going to give is a pen for the opposition players laying on in the tackle if our players dont fight to get up! We must be the only team in the league with no players fighting to play the ball quickly.

Good point, this slow play the ball business is spoiling the game. A couple of years ago, if Bradford had have employed the same tactics as they did on Friday night, they'd have given about 50 penalties away!

Some players did try for the 1st 15 minutes but when they realised it was going to make any difference they stopped.

The players shouldn't have to fight to get up up if the game is reffed correctly.

We definately don't fight enough to get off the floor, Wigan showed how to do it last week.

I think this is an area we need to improve in, especially with conditions getting better.

Definitely.

well it appears that the refs have been told to allow a longer wrestle which is a terrible decision and spoils the game. No point us fighting to get up if it makes no difference. This is a rugby league issue in general and not an fc one

we definatly struggle to play the ball fast...but we also really struggle when teams lie on us and slow us down......hopefully its summat that needs sorting out by agar and moore on the training field

Amen brother - if I wanted to watch that I'd stay at home with Royal Rumble or union

id rather scub my balls with sand paper and then sit in a vat of salt and vinger mix..........

hull have never fought to get up really, its pure laziness.

on a similar note a mate of mine was watching a bit of the crusaders game on friday in the pub, he knows nothing about sport and has no interest, but did manage to come out with "its like watching wrestling". super league has become a joke the last 3 seasons since the rfl decided the game should be played "like internationals". at the same time the aussies were speeding up to make the nrl more like super league.

Fri night was my first game of the season and at half time i said that if that is how rugly league is now being played that i wouldnt be coming again for a while. How anyone could think that a longer wrestle is an improvement is beyond me. Players were lieing all over each other and taking an eternity to move away as well as using the tackled player as an aid to getting up, slowly and it was happening on both sides. Thankfully the second half improved and so did my opinion of the game as a whole.

It is definitely detracting from the game as an entertaining contest. I'm sure we must be able to come up with multiple specific examples on video of unacceptable laying on/wrestling that's gone unpenalised for the RFL - not just in our games, in general. It needs sorting quickly IMO.

Stopped off in the supporters bar in the KC for a quick drink after the game and Dennis Moore came in and said the wrestle is becoming embaressing to watch. Cant really argue with him. Its also a total waste of players energy to fight to get up and play it quick if the refs are not going to give penalties for it.

It was embarrassing on Friday, particularly in the first half. Is there nothing we can do to try and lobby Red Hall about it? With extensive video footage that we capture, we must be able to put together loads of examples where it's been unacceptable, across our game and others'. Attendances generally are under pressure at the moment and slowing the game down and increasing/energy spent on the floor will do nothing to help.

This was commented on by Agar in the post-match interviews, and Barry Mc discussed it on the Boots 'n' all podcast this week (skip to 19.50). He mainly questioned the roles of the touch judges, and felt that they should have more communication with the ref. and marshall more, he felt that the 2-referees route should be explored, but that an easier option could be a review of the touch judges role.

I think the touch judges should get more involved in other areas, but think it's a red herring as far as the slowing the PTB down issue goes. The referee is closest to it.

I feel the same, really. Maybe if they could take more of a role in watching offsides it could allow the ref to look more the the ptb, but the refs don't seem to be too hot on the offsides, either.
I do wish that they would get involved more, though. All they seem to be are human-markers for where a try was scored, and judging the conversions, nothing more than that for most of the game.

One thing i've notice from the preceding games, huddersfield, wigan and bradford is everytime a three man tackle takes place each oppersition player gets off the tackled player one at a time, which slows the ptb right down. Where as our players same to get off together, is this a tactic we need to employ.

I think you will not be the only one thinking twice about going to watch the game being slowed down to the extent it is. The crowd at all games is becoming understandably preoccupied with the wrestling tactics as are the players. The change in 'interpretation' is a joke and is wrong. Time for the powers that be to act or face the prospect of gates falling and justified criticism being the norm.

Totally agree. I said the same as Sebasteeno at half time. Not the way our game should be going and the powers that be need to address it asap

In the warm up Bradford /Cas practised the wrestle I pointed this out to fans we sit with ..In the 3 man tackle the last man off take his time.. I blame the Aussie Coaches for bring this into our game If thing don't suit them bend the rules ..Complaining does help How many times have Rovers had Ben (Justin's mate ) ref their games

since he complained about him

Not just us then when it comes to this. Also we havent mastered the technique of turning people on their backs like crabs in the tackle which makes it slower to play the ball.

Too quick a play off the ball can just lead to players running out of dummy half all the time, though - which is boring in its own way.
I'd consider a quicker play, but combine it with an 8m offside line. Split the pitch into 12x8m and make 40-20s, 40-24s.

Sadly if you talk to those who actually are touch judges off the record they will tell you that they very often call forward passes and off sides that are ignored by the referee's. You cannot help but think that there is a deal of arrogence about!

Personally as I always say its about time referees got back to applying the rules instead of interpreting them, as for holding down we should go back to the referee shouting held and the players rolling away, instead of all this surrender nonesense! It is strating to put people off our great game.