Put club loyalties aside and he has a point. Too many players are intent on conning the referee into giving a penalty that is not deserved. They are the rugby equivalent of a diving footballer cheating to win a free kick. It is the worst aspect of our game and something that should not be tolerated.

Absolutely. I find it hilarious that McDermott is getting blasted for moaning about the officiating- when a) the hull supporters are doing exactly the same. b) if coaches didn't coach all the messing about at the ruck (including him) they wouldn't have the need to be moaning about it and c) if the players cleaned up their act and gone on with the game of rugby league instead of trying to make gains by bending the rules the referees job would be a lot easier and they would likely get more decisions correct.

The only hilarious thing is that mcdermott is ranting on live TV about something his own players do as much as any other team. He's in a position to influence it like no supporter is yet seems unwilling/unable to do so.

I thought he made some great points..he gave an example of a hull player doing what he said about. Mainly highlighted the general mess of the refs tho. Fact his team won highlighted it more so. Especially as Radford had had a go and Ellis as well

I don't disagree but the fact he is a head coach of a club who's players do the same thing week in, week out, make his rant both hilarious and hypocritical

He was spot on with what Washbrook and JJB did putting the ball on someone then claiming a penalty needs cutting out but so do head butts that go unpunished.

It happens in too many games where the ball is played on the tackler if he is close enough to get to, I guess the difference between the two incidents mentioned is that JJB didn't get a penalty and Washbrook did. That said I'm really surprised that Burrow stayed on the pitch. I know, as fans, we are always frustrated at referees when we don't get the decision we want but I'm not sure the standard is any better. I went to a game in Australia earlier this year and there was only 4 or 5 penalties in the whole game. I'm not sure if it's having 2 referees or the players are just that bit fitter so there's no need to mess about at the play of the ball? If it is the former I'm not sure we could recruit enough refs for 2 per game.

Tbf we were very very niggly last night as the fatigue started to creep in (although Leeds weren't much better). Radford did say he didn't care how bad the game was if we got the result. If you want someone to blame for last nights spectacle, blame the scheduling. We can't be blamed for trying whatever it took in that situation.

Haven't seen the full Sky one but seen his post match press conference interview and he readily admits his team do it as well. I think this only highlights the problem more that we have a coach who hates these kind of things but accepts his team does it too. We've reached a point where coaches who don't even want to have this in the game have players who do it, it's become a necessary evil if you want to have any chance of competing.

Can you be successful in today's game without it and taking the moral high ground of playing it clean?

If the players not in the way, wouldnt be a problem, the reffing is the problem, players feel need to do things like that because the refs dont police the ruck properly, washbrooks was a penalty because he couldnt play the ball from the correct position, jjb wasnt because he tried playing it from the wrong position

the play the ball area does need sorting, every play the ball imo you could penalize either team, its scruffy and you hold you breath awaiting a penalty one way or the other, the answer imo would be 2 refs the only problem with that is we havnt enough good refs to go round at the moment, all teams try to gain advantage but it can spoil the flow of the game,

When Sutcliffe score last night Hougton was ranting about something and I didn't have a clue what. I've just watched the highlights and I assume otnwas that on the play the ball for that try JJB was getting to his dived and dived about 2 metres off the mark and played the ball nowhere near where the tackle happened. There's so much inconsistency when it comes to penalizing moving off the mark.

Do the refs really need to be that good if 2 of them, doing half the job, so in theory should be a lot easier

Agreed. You can have a senior ref with a junior one and they only have half as much to look at as they do currently

I believe Castleford play a pretty clean game and I totally disagree it's become a necessary evil

I don't have an issue with Mcdermotts comments, it's about time it got addressed because in recent seasons there have been glimpses of football tactics (Sam tompkins springs to mind)