Bulldog’s Bite: Time for NRL fans to stop blaming referees for their own team’s deficiencies

Sometimes fans have to embrace that their team was outclassed and take a loss on the chin instead of taking to social media to fire vitriol at referees. It’s petty, unsporting and childish, writes DEAN RITCHIE in Bulldog’s Bite.

Enough is enough.

Has there been one game this season where parochial fans following a losing side haven’t taken to social media to complain about a referee’s performance?

Stop smothering your own teams’ deficiencies by blaming match officials each week.

It’s petty, unsporting and childish.

Rugby league’s fans and coaches are publicly outing referees for losses that the team should shoulder.

Accept a loss on the chin rather than firing vitriol at referees.

Sides are being walloped by 20 points but one-eyed fans – while admiring their passion – are still laying guilt on the referee. It’s just ridiculous.

It’s time for NRL fans to stop piling on referees each week. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Mainstream media has always kept referees honest but the social media pile-on is purely based around club allegiances.

Fans are finding the most minuscule decisions to expose in a bid to ward off any self-criticism.

A pass that could have floated marginally forward, the 10 metres wasn’t policed, a team slowed down the ruck – let’s blame anyone and everyone other than your own team.

These are the same fans and coaches who go mysteriously quiet when their team is the beneficiary of a refereeing error. Or if their team gets away with murder around the ruck.

That’s different.

Referees get it wrong and I have exposed multiple rubbish decisions over 35 years of covering rugby league.

But sometimes people have to embrace that their team was outclassed, out-coached and outfoxed.

Punters are quick to throw the blame at referees, but rarely accept the failures of their own side. Picture: NRL Imagery

After each loss, there they are – punters complaining and whining about every refereeing decision but refusing to concede their team played like crap.

Yes, referees have to be held to account – it’s been that way since 1908 – but constantly condemning a referee is an easy way out.

Refs are more and more becoming the target and fall guy for a loss.

They aren’t given a chance to defend their decisions publicly – they’re effectively gagged – so they have to sit back and cop the weekly sprays in silence.

Maybe fans should start checking out your team’s dropped ball and missed tackles stats. That’s where the true answer lies.

What about tactics, fitness, roster or ability?

Players make more mistakes than referees but they’re conveniently glossed over.

In the old days when your side lost, you’d have the s..ts but there wasn’t a constant witch hunt around on-field adjudications.

Referees have always been in the spotlight but the scrutiny on them seems to have increased 10-fold over the past decade.

Referee scrutiny seems to have increased dramatically over the past decade. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Yes, referees stuff up and sometimes it does cost sides a chance to win. That’s when they should be called out – if it’s a clanger.

But yelling ‘we were robbed’ after every loss? C’mon.

Next time your side loses, try to sensibly peel back the reasons why before bursting onto social media to berate match officials over non-defining decisions.

Try and avoid directing your anger at losing towards the softest and easiest target – a referee.

You’d actually be surprised how many times the players are to blame.

DOG TREATS

The famous Warialda bush club in northwest NSW folded after last season.

That was until club legend and former Easts forward Les Cleal – the brother of ex-Kangaroo Noel – stepped forward and single-handedly helped form a committee and recruit players.

With the town’s 1400 people now rallying, Warialda not only fielded a team this year but went through the Group 19 competition unbeaten.

The Wombats beat Inverell Hawks 60-32 in last weekend’s grand final before 5000 euphoric fans at Warialda Recreation Ground.

“Les has the Midas touch when it comes to pulling together teams that can win a premiership,” Noel said.

It’s a lovely story.

*****

New Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou has quickly slipped into the Papua New Guinea lifestyle.

The former Souths coach was spotted sitting next to PNG Prime Minister James Marape while watching a local Santos Cup game last weekend in Port Moresby.

Jason Demetriou pictured alongside PNG Prime Minister James Marape.

Demetriou was also seated behind Australian High Commissioner John Feakes.

“The game continues to grow and prepare for the next exciting chapter,” said PNG bid CEO Andrew Hill.

*****

Lailani Montgomery takes a drop out from behind her try line.

Red faces at Cbus Stadium on Saturday when Gold Coast halfback Lailani Montgomery took a goal line drop out during an NRLW game against Newcastle.

Bizarrely, Montgomery took the kick a metre behind her own tryline, resulting in the drop kick shooting sideways and hitting the padding around the upright.

Most NRL players take a dropout at least a metre in front of the tryline.

“Lailani Montgomery, you’re too honest,” said Channel 9 commentator Ruan Sims.

Newcastle won 46-10.

*****

Which former NRL star has fallen on hard times?

Ex-teammates are unaware of his plight. He played for four clubs in the 1980s and ‘90s.

*****

Which former State of Origin forward is being linked to a Sydney club for next season?

The move is being denied but the rumour simply won’t go away.

And which Queensland player continues being linked to a shock move to a rival club?

Originally published as Bulldog’s Bite: Time for NRL fans to stop blaming referees for their own team’s deficiencies