Late in June I wrote that Graham Annesley needed to stop insulting our intelligence after clearing all time clanger as a correct decision.
I thought I had seen it all. I thought I had seen the bottom of the barrel.
It turns out it took two weeks to resign that aforementioned horror show of a press conference to distant memory.
His latest public facade was even more embarrassing. In fact I'd argue it is starting to border on dangerous.
It has now come to the point where the next press conference called by Annesley needs to be for him to step aside from his role as NRL head of football elite competition.
For those who missed this week's horror show, Annesley fronted the media and again defended the indefensible.
He confirmed a decision that allowed Keano Kini to lead with his feet in stopping Sharks fullback Will Kennedy from scoring a try.
Kini slid in and got his feet between Kennedy and the goal line, forcing an error.
Annesley has just declared NRL open season on this tactic. I would be shocked if we don't see five such incidents of players sliding in with their feet in try scoring situations.
Why not? The referee's mouth piece has now said it's ok. It should be coached now as a tactic.
Even though it has been penalised as dangerous play for as long as I can remember.
For the record, I don't think it was dangerous. He slid in and didn't really connect with Kennedy in a forceful way.
Which would be ok if we didn't see the exact same incident penalised a hundred times in the past.
More frustratingly, for fans, was Annesley defending his Bunker team for missing the most blatant of match-defining decisions you may ever seen.
For those who missed this weekend's round of action, Jaeman Salmon absolutely flattered the Warriors' Te Maire Martin in a tackle that was both late and high.
Also right in front of the posts.
If that decision was made, as it should have been, the Warriors convert the easy penalty and the competition ladder looks very different for both the Warriors and the Bulldogs.
Annesley did say a penalty should have been awarded, much to the frustration of every league fan in the world who clearly saw it as such, but that the "angles weren't good".
The very same angles the Match Review Committee used to charge Salmon with a dangerous tackle. The very same angles that will see Salmon suspended for multiple weeks.
Why didn't Annesley just come out and say "we got that one wrong"?
Blaming television camera angles, any of which confirmed the easiest penalty decision in the hundred-plus year history of our game, is yet another cop out.
Not just a cop out but the latest in an increasingly laughable list of cop outs.
Remember a few weeks back when Annesley warned players not to stay down or they would be forced off for Head Injury Assessments?
Putting aside the fact the independent doctor cannot be influenced by NRL officials aside, what good did that do?
We've since seen ten players lay down for penalties. None of which were removed from the field to undergo the promised concussion test.
We've since see Braydon Trindall not awarded a clear crusher tackle penalty because he chose to stand up. Meanwhile just minutes later Blake Wilson suffered an identical tackle.
The difference?
Wilson stayed down. Whether he was hurt or looking for a penalty isn't relevant. The fact is he was down long enough for the Bunker to award the penalty.
Both players were put on report. Only one player was penalised.
The Sharks were within kicking distance for a shot that would have taken them four points clear. This takes away Burton's penalty goal and the game is different.
So in the space of two weeks we have two refereeing clangers directly decision competition points.
Instead of standing up and advising players on how to do their job, perhaps Annesley needs to focus on doing his.
Or better yet, end the pain and step aside.
I am not one for calling for people to lose their jobs. The exact opposite actually.
I have yelled from the rooftops, on these very pages in fact, in defence of referees. In defence of Annesley himself at times.
Enough is enough though.
Annesley is no longer breaking down decisions, he's running interference for officials who should be being held to account.
You can't seriously expect fans and officials to stomach that the camera angles weren't enough for an official to make a decision.
They're sitting in a multi-million dollar, purpose built Bunker designed for this very decision to be made.
Multiple, high definition angles are available on almost every incident in every single game.
It took one, grainy reply on Twitter/X to see it was a clear penalty. We all saw it.
The officials didn't.
Why would they care? They know Annesley is going to back them and that there will be no accountability.
Annesley needs to call another press conference as soon as possible ... and use it to step down!
