I just thought this was worth a separate thread, as it's more general, than just last night's obstruction thread.

As the late John Laurie would've put it..... We're doomed. DOOMED.
The standard of officiating is at an all time low, and it's going to get worse. We've got a load of inefficient robots, controlling each match. No consistency from match to match, from referee to referee. It's a casserole of confusion, each week. Last night's previously mentioned obstruction try, being the tip of the iceberg. SCUMings (Sky's refereeing "[iguru[/i couldn't see anything wrong with it, neither the other game time "pundits", yet Hicks gives "no try". I know it's down to opinion, but where was the obstruction?.... There wasn't any. The RFL (and Sky) don't want people switching of, when games are getting too one sided, so, it was deemed "no try", too stop the inevitable landslide.... It certainly helped.

Which brings me on to VR
The Mamo "no try", where, let's face it, Thaler wasn't concentrating, Mamo made his attempt, and as an afterthought, Thaler poohed his pants, and thought, better let that [igo upstairs[/i and let them decide. WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS TRY OR NO TRY? If you've not seen it, let someone else decide, WITHOUT giving the VR a leading decision. There was no clear way even superslow TV replays could decide whether the ball had touched the deadball line, so a try SHOULD have been given. Speccies go to games to see tries. Not no tries.

Kyle Wood's second try (the scruffy double kick one). It went to VR, but, if you look closely, on the second kick, Wood is ahead of the kicker, but VR (iirc) wasn't frozen for that. What's the point of VR, if you can't get the basics right.

Generally, I now no longer think that RL has a rule book, anymore. More like a set of guidelines, giving refs "elbow room" to just officiate how they want. Case in point, Tomkins' trip in the GF. HE SHOULD BE OFF. Tripping/Cumberland throws are illegal. Yet Hicks bottled it, because it was a big, televised game. Officiate properly. It doesn't matter if it's a GF, or Crosfield v Woolston Rovers U11's. DO IT PROPERLY.

Now, I know we're not angels. Brough whinged about our laying on, last night. Of course we did. Everyone does. They (we) do it, because they (we) can get away with it.
Get some decent refs, who officiate PROPERLY, and all this laying on will stop.

Just happened.
Saints' Coote has just done a goal line drop out, AFTER the shot clock has run out. Why no penalty?
WE HAVE A RULE.

Ive no idea why we have try/no try onfield. It makes absolutely no sense.

Totally agree. The VR's decision should always trump that of the on-field ref, because he has access to far more reliable evidence.

You're aware Ben Flower got sent off after 3 minutes of a Grand Final, right?

Come on.
Even OJ Simpson's lawyer, couldn't have kept Flower on the pitch, that night

A blind mans guide dog could of called that one.

Another reffing f00k up
A second Saints player has his hands all over the ball, trying to strip the ball. The penalty should be Cas'
Saints get head and feed, score. Ridiculous reffing.

I'm not sure it's an all time low, the refereeing standard has stank for years and years. It makes rugby league look pathetic. Its never helped that the commentary teams over the years have pointed it out and ridiculed their own sport. It really needs sorting, call the game as it is, I wouldn't be too fussed if it's different game to game so long as both sides in any particular game get the same treatment. There is scope for referees interpretations and more respect. The trouble is you have to be able to trust a referee and I don't think we have any that are in that bracket. We need our own version of nigel owens.

The grand final is the worst, the amount of niggling and messing at the ptb, lying on that goes unpunished just leans itself to a poor spectacle and the masters of the spoil Leeds and Wigan taking the prize every year. When was the last truly classic grand final?

only reason the refs we have still have a job is because there is literally no one to replace them.

As for the Grand Final , the refereeing is so shoddy & the rules so lax that it is becoming unwatchable.

Last nights match got switched off before half time in my house.