Phil Bent....ham - What was he doing??

[Hanley the God!]

Do you know over the last season following a few times on the receiving end of Mr BENT...ham, I've thought that maybe he is an OK referee.

But what was that last night??

I know that Sheens and Kesrney have also expresses their disatisfatction at his "slowness at the ruck", but I really feel worried for England and Wales.

The Aussie game is notoriously slower at the play the ball, with regular interference and lying on, they regularly get away with the "wrestle" in the NRL games.

But... why do we insist on our super league referees altering their style to suit the Aussies. You wouldn't see the Aussies (or any other sport) surrendering home "advantage" like this.

Are we scared of their authorities?? Do we have to "play by their rules"??

Having said that Bentham's refereeing made it too slow. I just could not understand what was happening. This would have been a penalty fest in Super League.

Now why the worry??

Well England will play their natural game, and be rolling away at every opportunity. Leaving men lying around on the floor. This will suit the Aussies as they will then destroy us up the middle and in the ruck. Our boys will not be able to avoid playing "how it should be played" and we will get caught out by it and the Aussie speed of ball play.

However, our quick players, who like to dart in SL when you can get up and play the ball quickly, will be neutralised, hence giving advantage to the Aussies.

We will get caught up in a forward battle and as they are bigger than us, this will also give Aussie advantage.

This is a worry!! What do you think??

[southernpie]

Exactly what I was saying to the missus last night.

[i'm spartacus]

The slowness of the ruck killed the game completely for me. If that style of officiating continues through the whole tournament, it would neuter Roby completely because the major part of his game is quick play and run from dummy half. That was what pretty much happened last night as well. Tommy didn't get the chance to make a single run from dummy half that I can recall

[jobo]

The alternative though is that he gives penalties every two minutes. Technically, he could have penalised virtually every play the ball. Cameron Smith was particularly bad. Reckon the refs and coaches need to get their heads together and start sending people off sooner rather than later.

[Panchitta Marra]

The speed of the play the ball in NRL is streets ahead of SL. the two referee system affords this too.
To quicken the speed of "the play the ball" would benefit both NZ & Australia more than England as their players play a much faster game week in week out.
Like all whinging Aussie coaches, Sheene has just played his card hoping his complaints will force the referee's to referee according to his needs.
Its about time Rugby League in SL and NRL was played parallel with the same rules and refereeing methodology.
Make it a level playing field then whingers like Sheene have no case to argue.

[yoda warrior]

The alternative though is that he gives penalties every two minutes. Technically, he could have penalised virtually every play the ball. Cameron Smith was particularly bad. Reckon the refs and coaches need to get their heads together and start sending people off sooner rather than later.

If he'd stamped down on it early they would have known they couldn't get away with it. Once he'd let it go for 10 mins, he couldn't go back. The game was dumbed down completely last night by the slowness of the ruck.

It's funny how it's only 3 years since we were complaining about the slowness of the ruck and not understanding 'the wressle' at the world cup. The game against Australia in Melbourne was one of the slowest i've ever seen. Now they've got their two referees and everything's turned around.

[bourbon_rat]

The four nations is 'supposed' to be under virtually the same rules as Super League ? Which means if Bentham doesn't have the balls to enforce those rules then the players will exploit every tackle.
The Aust - NZ match was 2nd rate as a contest :doz: