Rabbitohs’ heartbreak shows why it is the system failing NRL officials

YOU don’t have to be a South Sydney fan to know the Rabbitohs were robbed last week. So why has the NRL done nothing to fix the real issues suffocating the match officials?

IT’S the ugly spot sitting at the corner of the NRL’s nose that they don’t want us to talk about.

Michael Maguire took a swipe at it last Friday night and, without wanting to be hit with a $10,000 fine, did his best to make us all aware of it again.

But almost as soon as Maguire said his piece, the game moved on.

Like the booger didn’t exist.

I don’t know about you but I’m sick of looking at it.

I’m not even a Souths fans and I still can’t believe they alone wore the consequences of what happened in that heartbreaking loss to Brisbane.

Yes, it is a new round kicking off tonight.

Coach Michael Maguire had every reason to blow up about the officiating that robbed his side of a win. Picture: Gregg Porteous

But did we really learn anything from the diabolic decisions that cost the Rabbitohs two crucial competition points?

How in the hell can the NRL spend millions on the bunker than stop it from ruling on scoring plays like the Anthony Milford knock-on that decided the game?

Don’t tell me that was human error.

That was the system failing us all, because the bunker can’t rule on knock-ons leading up to field goals.

What a stupid rule.

Everyone watching saw Milford bobble the ball.

That rear replay the bunker would have had access to identified it almost immediately.

And why was the bunker also forced to overlook the incident when Milford was clearly held up in the lead up to Tautau Moga’s try?

Tautau Moga scored a questionable try to hel take the game away from the Bunnies.

I’ll tell you why, because the onfield referee overruled the bunker in respect to Milford.

Yes, we heard referees boss Tony Archer come out over the weekend and admit they got it wrong.

What does that fix?

Overlooked by almost everyone was the fact that it was again the system at fault.

It just shouldn’t have happened.

Yet we’ve gone through another week and there has been no talk of changes.

Why do we continue to force onfield referees to make “try” or “no try” calls when so often the refs clearly have no idea?

This has been going on for years now.

Surely it is time to get rid of this “sufficient evidence” crap.

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Everyone knows it’s dumb, but they won’t change it.

Why?

The NRL should be thanking their lucky stars this continued contract circus has dominated headlines again this week.

If it wasn’t for the player merry-go-round Archer would not be getting off so lightly.

As Maguire questioned in his post-match address: “How do I explain that to the playing group that is working its arses off to be able to make sure they are getting the results we are after?

“We’ve got fans out there that live and breathe this club.

“How do I explain to them about the decisions that are being made?”

Can someone at the NRL please answer his questions?

As Maguire explained, he is coaching a young squad, doing everything they can for each other and their fans, and against Brisbane they were robbed.

Anthony Milford’s catch before kicking the winning field goal was also questioned.

Not by human error, but a flawed system.

It was such a huge performance from Souths.

Remember, they were without Greg Inglis and Adam Reynolds.

You can’t underestimate what a victory in a game like that would have meant right now in respect to where the Rabbitohs are at as a club.

People will say what goes around comes around.

But at end of year when everyone is evaluating if you have been a success or failure they don’t look back on poor refereeing decisions.

They just look at wins and losses.

That is what the clubs are judged on.

Those two points could potentially cost Souths a top eight spot.

Livelihoods are on the line.

NRL Referees boss Tony Archer should be answering questions about why his team keeps getting things so wrong.

Coaches get sacked.

Players get moved on.

Sponsorship, marketing and membership all suffer if you don’t make the finals.

And the NRL don’t want coaches to criticise match officials because they tell us it is a bad look for the game?

Maguire should be applauded for the stand he took because it was exactly what everyone outside the NRL was thinking.

He also should be proud of what he is building within his team.

Souths have been on the slide since they won the comp in 2014, with plenty of speculation about factures within the playing group.

But last Friday night they showed while they are in a building phase, they are charging back, and still capable of testing the best this year if they can muster that type of spirit.

As bitterly disappointed as Maguire was, that performance was something they can build on tomorrow night when they take on Manly.

Let’s hope the NRL don’t waste their chance to clean up their act.