“Inconsistent behavior is unpredictable, or may be considered irregular or illogical for the situation, or not keeping with the standards of behavior for a given set of circumstances.”
Therefore I applaud the decision handed down by the referee, bunker and MRC as being consistent.
It is most definitely unfair to say that the NRL and its affiliates are inconsistent because when I saw the penalty handed to Nelson Asofa Solomona, both on the field and by the MRC, the decision and penalty was exactly what I predicted.
There was zero surprise in my household. The NRL has never been serious about punishing the Storm for the numerous questionable tactics they have introduced into our game over the last two decades.
That shot (Courtesy of Channel 9)
The decision to give a slap over the wrist as punishment for a dangerous attack of the head was as consistent as it was concerning.
In my opinion, and in the opinion shared by the vast majority of friends and colleagues, the NRL talking about fairness and an equal playing field for all teams is nothing but lip service. The evidence suggests that it does not exist.
I live in hope that one day it will happen and those people making decisions will be held to account but I fear several more reviews and changes to systems will eventuate before the real problem is identified.
As long as the same people are allowed to keep making the decisions then it doesn’t matter what system is put in place, the result will be the same. Certain clubs will be heard and listened to at the expense of others.
The great shame with drawing attention to such negatives is that the Storm have some magnificent players who I individually really enjoy watching.
Our game last Saturday was not perfect football but it was enthralling. Both teams made mistakes largely due to the pressure each exerted on the other. The hits were hard, the skill and pace of play was breathtaking and the endurance of the players was amazing considering it is only round 3.
Like many supporters I was glued to my seat screaming at the TV.
Dylan
Dylan Brown rightfully gained much praise for his attack but I think we should not simply ignore or look over his defence. It was and has consistently been amazing.
With about 17 minutes to go the Storm were up by 6 and looking to finish us off. In the space of two tackles Dylan chased down Papenheyzun then in the next tackle he again shut down a raid down on our short side with another cover tackle.
Not all players in our team have the speed to make those tackles but what I loved about our team performance was every player put in maximum effort.
I was happy to see Moses annoyed because he was right – we have to be better at icing those big moments. By the same token, we will not get a chance to have those big moments come September without the effort we saw last Saturday.
Effort is something we should expect from professional sportsmen but I have been a Parra fan long enough to know that is not always the case.
The effort last Saturday was so similar to our finals defeat to the Panthers last year. The difference this time was that we got the bounce go our way and sometimes that is the only thing that separates good teams in big games. You cannot control the bounce but you can always control your effort and for that both teams should be applauded.
It’s probably valid to say that both the Eels and the Storm deserved to walk away with the points from that match. I’m obviously no fan of Melbourne but it was a wonderful game to watch and that makes the decision making of the NRL all the more disappointing.
Nothing else but the game should have been talked about post match and it is the NRL’s responsibility to maintain the integrity of its competition.
My family and I love our team and cannot wait to go to the game this Sunday against the Dragons. We make the five hour round trip (even with the cost of petrol!) because we love our club and want to do our part to support the players. It is also so much better watching the game at the ground.
I won’t hold any real confidence in the NRL and its officials but I gave up expecting anything great from them a long time ago.
Fortunately, I continue to be blessed by following a team whose players and coaches deserve supporting. I don’t know if I could still support the game otherwise and for a fan who attended my first game as a 3 week old baby at the old Cumberland Oval that isn’t easy to say.
I love my club and will support them forever, but the NRL and its officials have lost my trust completely.
Shelley
I disagree, I thought the fine was sufficient, and the penalty wasn’t given because the ref was unsighted. In any event, Maka was falling in the tackle and when NAS committed to the tackle Maka hadn’t started falling.
We have to stop this “we wuz robbed” mentality as a club. Life isn’t fair, get over it, make peace with it.
Agree Brett, you have to stay balanced with the we wuz robbed stuff. The game never offers perfection.I always try to just state facts about incidents, everyone can have an opinion. I haven’t watched it again to test your theory, but that was on the south side of suss. Maka’s head was caught between bodies, I thought at the time if it was in free space it would have been interesting to see the impact wobble factor, which usually has the ref, the lines people and the bunker more attentive.
It was in the Deep South BDon.
Brett, I can see where you’re coming from with regard to it not being just Parra as other clubs are suffering from unchecked knees in tackles or high shots. However drawing attention to the hit on Maka by NAS need to be done, just as the use of the knees on Parra players in the first two rounds has been.
Firstly, there are plenty of winning clubs who point out foul shots on their players. The Roosters are the prime example.
Secondly, there is a problem with cheap shots creeping into the game over the first three rounds.
I’m all for alowing a “player falling“ defence with shots that hit the head at a low height. But in this instance, Maka was under the complete control of two other Storm players and they were instrumental in taking him towards the ground. NAS came in as third man with a swinging arm that was positioned in such a way that he was always going to make connection with the head. It was a bad shot and to be honest, if one of our players perpetrated that sort of hit, I would have copped a week or two suspension, and even a sin bin, and not argued.
Interestingly, Annesley has removed the possibility of the tackle being used as precedent evidence in future incidents. I know he was referencing force in his disagreement with the charge, but he knew the game would be in trouble if tackles like that were used as a yardstick for determining charges.
Well said Sixties. The other two defenders already had Makatoa under control and the tackle did not need to be made.
Given the circumstances in play between NAS and Makatoa leading up to the tackle it is easy to understand why NAS did what he did.
There has been a lot of commentary on Sydney radio over the incident and I would have to say there is a lot of outrage towards NAS.
Even James Hooper is outraged.
Whether the tackle needed to be made is irrelevant, until the ref calls held, NAS was perfectly entitled to come in and smash Maka as hard as he could.
But he can’t hit him with a swinging arm and clenched fist in the head.
And, Anessley agrees with what I am saying. Should have been binned according to Anessley.
You see that’s where I disagree. I don’t think NAS could be expected to know that Maka’s head was going to be that low when he made contact. I thought it was accidental tbh, I couldn’t even make a case that it was borderline careless.
Maka was not falling quickly, he was resisting sort of backwards with the tackle going sideways. If NAS misjudged it was because of the style of tackle he attempted, a swinging arm hit with a bit of ‘cop this’. A smother/assist could have been attempted but he went for the doctor and made contact to the head.Careless at minimum.
Respect absolutely your right to disagree but my concern goes way beyond just this incident. A few rich, powerful men who also happen to own/ control or sponsor clubs have to much say in the NRL- a say that is driven by self interest and the desire to win at all cost.
Last year Mr Politis entered the referee rooms at halftime in our game to complain about the Dylan incident. He was right to be upset but how he went about it should have been punished heavily by the NRL. The only result from him going in to complain to the refs mid game was the referees put Dylan on report when they returned to the field. What sport in the world would say it is okay to allow the chairmen/ sponsor of a team playing to speak to the refs at halftime and demand ( then get) action?
We have a rules committee that in the past two seasons has changed rules mid season, this committee has current coaches on it- people with self interest who are suggesting changes to rules for the competition they are currently trying to win.
What organisation bans phones in the dressing shed and has a set salary cap but will also allow a club ceo to invite star players to invest in a private [not publically listed company so therefore true worth and value for shares will never be tested or validated ] online gambling platform that will actually take bets on the game and competition the said players play in?
When we cheated I hated the punishment but I demand our game has integrity and we did the wrong thing. The Storm have done the wrong thing by our game for decades with no punishment, in fact they have been invited to committees to suggest ways the game can be improved. The Roosters are allowed to escape around the edges of the salary cap because the rules that govern it and decide what is within the rules are made by people who are life members of the Roosters.
So my concern goes way beyond the game last week. Take Parra out of it, if Nelson had done that on a Warriors reserve I believe the same decision would have been made and that is the real problem in my eyes but as I said I respect your right to disagree.
The problem the NRL has is I know so many rusted on league followers, people who have played, coached, managed and attended every Saturday early morning junior league games for decades who think the same and are getting sick of it. At my sons training on Monday afternoon everyone was talking about the Nelson grading and these are people who support different teams and the sad thing was no one was shocked.
Are you serious? Consdier the lead up to this moment with Maka making him look foolish just shortly before when he dropped the ball. Nelson then comes in as third man to a tackle where Maka was held and going nowhere and hits him with a swinging arm and a closed fist.
Then consdier we have the NRL harping on about concussion and making changesd to protect players but all this warrants is a fine? To top it off the poor dragons player gets suspended for much less. Ridiculous decision.
Thought the same about Dragon’s Sua. Sua is getting worked over like Marata did. Both are power hitters, give and take, no whinging, mentally solid. But err by an inch and you’re in jail.
The arm of Nelson S-Moaner was always going for Maka’s head. He wasn’t needed in the tackle and he had time to judge where his swinging arm was going. It was a dog act, pure and simple, typical of a player who plays the man not the ball.
The other aspect of the Storm approach that the refs tolerate ad nausem is how they have their hands / arms all over the ball as the player attempts to position himself for the play the ball. It happens with such consistency that it is, in my view, a deliberate tactic. Penalise them early and the game flows and their unfair advantage disappears.
Jim, I forgot to reference their latest wrestle tactics in my Bumpers Up. I’d planned on doing so but it slipped by on a busy day of writing/editing.
They wrestle standing up. It looks like there is still contest and movement in the tackle but the defenders have the player under control. Consequently the ref has to wait before calling held. It’s evil genius stuff. It’s slows up the play the ball and gives their defence time to set,
Watch the r1 1 against the titans and see all the decisions that went against them. Watch their post match interview and then write a blog on how they were ripped off