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.

Speaking the other week Justin Morgan said that he was happy with slower, controlled play the balls so long as there is consistancy.
In his opinion it promotes more skilful play because defences are more difficult to break down.

He also said that referees should attend Super League clubs wrestling training sessions so that they have an understanding of what the coaches are teaching their players to do in the tackle.

He talks a load of shiite though to be fair

I agree. Scooting had become far too easy and effective due to the complete lack of tolerance for any work in the tackle and that meant you didn't need any 'skill' to succeed. Find the ground quickly and you would either get a quick play and a scoot against a broken, unset line or a penalty.



For a change, I agree with Morgan. The problem isn't that more time is being allowed - that was a necessity. The problem is that everything is being let go currently. Rather than having a situation in which good technique is rewarded and poor technique punished on both sides of the ball, the defence is currently being allowed total control no matter how good their work is. And, along with directives from the top, referees not knowing enough about how the game is played and coached will contribute to these poor decisions being made.

Technique also needs to be massively improved, almost across the board (Wigan being the only real exception at the minute), when it comes to working to get up. It's obvious that a lot of work has been done on defensive grappling technique in the last couple of years, and it's improving, but the other side of it doesn't seem to have progressed much at all.

We seem to have gone from one extreme to another. I can't decide which ruins the game more, super fast PTBs or the 'wrestleathon' we saw on Friday. If we speed it up too much games are literally decided on the speed of a teams PTB, with no creativity required. We saw how this had an impact at international level when we couldn't rely on the quick PTB. There has to be a happy medium were the ruck is controlled to a degree but there is still the opportunity of a quick PTB, if it's earnt.

As a sport though we've been trying to promote faster play the balls for 7 or 8 years now with constant penalties where they dont happen. I dont understand how they can make such a wholesale change to their interpretation of the law pretty much overnight and not communicate it to the teams or the fans. It might promote more skill in breaking down defensive lines but it's also incredibly boring to watch after watching the speed of the game for the last few years.

Definately not the right move imo. We are never going to catch the aussies skill wise anyway, why bother.