Talk about inspirational. If there wasn't a problem recruiting referees before, there sure is now.
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The new ARLC chairman Peter V'landys has seen to that. Labelling refereeing as the "single biggest problem" in the game.
Bet all the whistleblowers are stoked to come to work now. Everything is their fault.
The biggest problem isn't the fact Manly hooker Manase Fainu faces three charges over an alleged stabbing at a church dance.
Despite the fact the NRL introduced a "no fault" stand down policy designed to fix issues with off-field behaviour.
Or the fact that St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin faces an upcoming trial for rape.
Nope, it's the referees.
Sure Canberra Raiders fans can feel aggrieved at a couple of decisions that cost them the NRL grand final, most notably when "six again" became none again.
But to say refereeing and referees are the biggest problem in the game. That's a big call.
Imagine coming into the office or building site and on your boss's first day in charge he says you're the biggest problem in your company.
Reckon you'll be stoked to be there? Determined to make yourself a better worker for the glory of the company?
Or will you be reaching for the job ads finding somewhere else to work?
Especially when your job already involves thousands of people screaming abuse at you every weekend. Happy days.
Have fun recruiting for that position. Wanted: someone who likes being yelled at and whose contribution will never be valued.
That's without even raising the ridiculous claims referees and their decisions are driving fans from the game.
Fans stop supporting their teams because of the officials? Really?
Seems a bit far fetched. Sounds like they weren't fans in the first place.
The real problem is the rules. They're too subjective and open to "interpretation".
Was it a loose carry? Or an illegal strip?
How long a player can be held down for in a tackle is completely arbitrary and seems to depend on which players are involved, which clubs they're from and the referee's mood.
It's a shoulder charge if you don't use your arms - unless you're Billy Slater and then it's OK to do it in a try-saving situation.
And don't get me started on whoever the bright spark who came up with the rule for what happens when a trainer gets hit by the ball.
Instead of giving possession to the other team, it's randomly given to the team in the attacking half. Mind boggling.
(And no Roosters supporters, no one cares that Sia Soliola took out Luke Keary's legs. Your premiership is tainted. Deal with it).
It's not wonder the referees are making mistakes when almost every decision is a toss of the coin.
Throw in the fact every penalty and change of possession has such a massive impact on the momentum in rugby league and you have a recipe for disaster.
A disaster that can be multiplied because a lack of possession means more time in defence. More defending leads to fatigue. And fatigue leads to points. For the other team.
Then there's the endless roundabout that is rugby league.
The game is always backflipping to a previous position.
For one of the many cases in point, cast your mind back to 2017 and all the calls for the referees to do something about the play-the-balls. And offside.
The rules were there and needed to be enforced, they said.
So the referees did exactly that in 2018.
Penalty counts soared. Fans were in uproar. Because the referees had the nerve to enforce the rules.
Penalising incorrect play-the-balls. Penalising offside. Outrageous.
All of a sudden referees were meant to take into account the flow of the game. Whatever that is.
So the NRL backflipped. The crackdown consigned to the annals of the past. Until the next time everyone starts complaining about offsides and play-the-balls.
So the referees are the biggest problem with the game? I'm not buying it.