If there is one thing that social media, and websites such as Zero Tackle, have shown me, it is that rugby league fans simply can NOT be impartial.
Saturday afternoon’s game was an absolute cracker with a brilliant finish. Following the contest every Shark fan on my time line was saying they were robbed, while every Raider fan thought they were robbed.
Those fans commenting without supporting either side were almost split down the middle.
What hope do the referees have if we, after 50 replays, still cannot agree on decisions?
If I were to screenshot tweets, emails, comments on posts such as this, etc. I could compile 1000 instances where people would claim the referees hate their team.
Why?
Because you only watch your team with any real emotion.
Although I enjoy watching two sides I do not support hit it out, the emotional involvement is never the same as when my side plays. It’s human nature.
I saw one instance on Friday evening of a fan who swore blind the referees robbed his team, even though they conceded 50 points and were absolutely monstered around the park.
Sure I agree a few decisions went against his side, but I saw a few calls where I believed they were a little lucky.
So who are the referees against? … NO ONE! Or perhaps there is a conspiracy against every NRL side?
Or perhaps emotion wins out when talking about a game that requires emotional involvement.
Take ANY article ever written for example.
If anyone says anything negative about a side, fans of said side are quick to criticise. They call people names, they ask them questions such as “are you serious”, “who wrote this crap?” or my personal favourite, “who are you?”.
This despite the fact 99% of the readers agreeing.
I will test this theory now. The Wests Tigers cannot win the title this year. Hell, they won’t make the eight. Absolutely no chance they will make finals. Put a line through them, they’re done.
Anyone who is not a Tigers fans will look at this and say ‘hmm at least four wins outside the eight, going to be tough’ but there will be one Tigers fan who can’t believe I have written their team off.
Silly example, but I challenge anyone to take a completely objective view of their club’s next game.
Time for the NRL to get tough
I toyed with writing a complete piece on this however a lot of what I wanted to say has already been said in the media, and on social media.
Absolutely zero comment on the current situation in the news, as it has not yet hit the courts and no guilty verdict has been handed down.
BUT …
Any player who is found guilty of violence of any kind, especially against a woman, should be rubbed out for two years MINIMUM.
I absolutely loathe violence outside of a sporting arena (i.e. when the person being attacked isn’t an equally trained, ready and willing competitor) and can’t bring myself to cheer for anyone convicted as such.
I copped PLENTY for writing a few years back that I was sickened by the fact Robert Lui was able to play in the women in league round, but I stand by my opinion.
What makes me angry is when fans of a team criticise another side for their handling of such affairs, then lambast anyone who says similar regarding their club.
Without naming names, I had a jersey signed at a fan day a few years ago for my son. Every member of the squad, bar one, someone who was found guilty of such an act, has signed said jersey, and it now hangs proudly in his room.
I felt bad saying “no thank you” at the time but you know what, time to take a stand.
Anyone looking to abuse me for this opinion, don’t bother, just click the x at the top right and agree to disagree. If you have to reply, imagine it were your mother, daughter, sister etc. suffering. Would you be ok with a "she'll be right" attitude?
Violence is not on in 2015. This is not referring to ANY singular case and is to be taken as a generalisation.
Time for the game to take a stand too.
Just as an aside, people have to realise the difference between an alleged incident and being proven guilty in a court of law. This is Australia, and you are innocent until proven otherwise. My gripe is that players have been found guilty in the past and then have played on with little consequence.
I admire those who are able to turn their lives around etc etc, but I’d rather see it not happen to begin with.
Sandow’s gotta go
There have been reports that Chris Sandow’s social media rant may lead to his sacking at the club…
I believe those were his intentions upon posting what he did.
I do believe he has been unfairly made a scapegoat in the situation, as quite frankly there haven’t been too many Eels fans playing all that well, but if he REALLY wants to move on from the club and head to England, and the club do not want him, why is he still there?
Sandow should be released today, it would benefit everyone.
No pay out, Sandow’s form doesn’t warrant it. No transfer fee, Parra don’t want him anyways. No chipping in for his wages, if a Super League side wants him they will pay his wages outright.
Sound easy, what is the hold up? One of the three parties is obviously dragging their feet here.
