Do ‘big captains’ like Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith have too much influence over referees?

MONDAY BUNKER: Does your team get the raw end in the 50/50 calls? Then maybe your skipper doesn’t have the Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith effect. Watch our new show here.

DOES your team get the raw end of the deal when it comes to the 50/50 calls?

Then maybe your side’s captain doesn’t have the Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith effect.

Saturday night’s clash in Townsville was the highlight of the opening round but did the Cowboys get their own way against a Canberra Raiders side that couldn’t take a trick with the referees?

“How does Canberra compete when the don’t have one of those ‘big captains’ that doesn’t hold sway,” said Monday Bunker host Paul Crawley.

Do you think players like Thurston and Smith give their side an edge when dealing with referees because of their standing in the game?

You can watch the Monday Bunker in the video player above — or the full show below.

Originally published as Do ‘big captains’ like Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith have too much influence over referees?