Tue 18 Oct: RLWC: Tonga v Papua New Guinea KO 7.30pm

[JohnM]

5 minutes ago, yipyee said:

Was waiting for a post about a red v team getting dubious ref decisions too  

You missed it a few pages ago.

[OMEGA]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

I thought on the last angle he looked at, the ball looked like it had touched the line.

As I say though, it wasn't conclusive and if it had been sent up as a try it would probably have been given.

My point is that it was not an easy one for the officials.  I certainly thought he was out on the live call and so I would have sent it up no try and then there just wasn't conclusive evidence to overturn it.

But what about the dead set shoulder charge?

Defender tucked the arm and rotated his torso which is the very epitome of a shoulder charge, totally ignored by the VR

[DavidM]

IMO the disallowed try i dont think it was a shocker or a robbery . The no try call was decisive with the footage he had to work with . Maybe it was a try maybe it wasnt but imo he couldnt be 100% sure to overturn that call . And I thought there was nothing wrong with the cover tackle either so debatable but no more than that 

[Dunbar]

Just now, OMEGA said:

But what about the dead set shoulder charge?

Defender tucked the arm and rotated his torso which is the very epitome of a shoulder charge, totally ignored by the VR

I disagree.  I think the shot behind the line showed that the defender made contact with his chest first.  I didn't think it was a shoulder charge.

[Tippytoe]

8 minutes ago, OMEGA said:

By and large the game was very well officiated by the Ref and the linesmen but that VR decision was bloody awful!

Not only was it a try but the shoulder charge was the only thing that stopped it being an easy put down. It’s either an 8 point Try due to a foul in the act of scoring  or a penalty try and probably a yellow card for the shoulder charge.

Great game though and superb from the PNG team who had 3 try’s disallowed and conceded two wonder try’s 

Bang on and also after how many times did he look at it, very poor!

[Number 16]

You watch a game like that and you seriously wonder why RL is not more popular! 

Then you think about those in charge...

[Stuff Smith]

I bloody love PNG. How easy is it to change your nationality?

[north yorks trinity]

1 minute ago, DavidM said:

imo he couldnt be 100% sure to overturn that call . 

As I wrote earlier, I was 100% sure, BUT, clearly the opinion isn't unanimous and if Thaler was one of what I suspect was a minority to agree with you, he's going to give no try. It can't be decided by a vote so what's done is done and time to move on (though I wonder if I'd be so relaxed if it was England in an important game ).

[UTK]

So England are likely going to have to play both these teams on the way to a final v NZ/AUS. 

Not sure how anyone can say England has anything but the toughest side of the draw.

[redjonn]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I thought on the last angle he looked at, the ball looked like it had touched the line.

As I say though, it wasn't conclusive and if it had been sent up as a try it would probably have been given.

My point is that it was not an easy one for the officials.  I certainly thought he was out on the live call and so I would have sent it up no try and then there just wasn't conclusive evidence to overturn it.

fair enough but as you say on the live call it looked like no try but it also looked like a shoulder charge.

For other decisions the ref backed himself unless he wasn't sure... he gave the first no try up as a try but was proved wrong with the vid ref overruling. On the 2nd he wasn't sure so he went up, maybe because he wondered about the tackle, either way he wasn't sure but this time chose to send it up as a no try.

For me it was a try, especially if one takes the talking point about a curved ball - taken that consideration it was more clearly a try.

Although I was amused by the curved ball discussion.

Enjoyed the game.

[north yorks trinity]

1 minute ago, UTK said:

So England are likely going to have to play both these teams on the way to a final v NZ/AUS. 

Not sure how anyone can say England has anything but the toughest side of the draw.

Can see where you're coming from but I'm more confident of making the final than if we'd had to play Aus or NZ along the way.

[DavidM]

1 minute ago, UTK said:

So England are likely going to have to play both these teams on the way to a final v NZ/AUS. 

Not sure how anyone can say England has anything but the toughest side of the draw.

I’ve said all along in my sage and onion like wisdom England will get to the Final . Tough but tougher for teams facing us 

[Stuff Smith]

5 minutes ago, north yorks trinity said:

 (though I wonder if I'd be so relaxed if it was England in an important game ).

If it was England v Australia, he'd have disallowed it.

British officials always bend over backwards to favour the Aussies. French officials never did: that's why we don't have them any more.  Aussie officials always look after their own.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Stuff Smith

[Tippytoe]

7 minutes ago, DavidM said:

IMO the disallowed try i dont think it was a shocker or a robbery . The no try call was decisive with the footage he had to work with . Maybe it was a try maybe it wasnt but imo he couldnt be 100% sure to overturn that call . And I thought there was nothing wrong with the cover tackle either so debatable but no more than that 

At full speed I thought no try but on Vr straight try, poor decision IMHO.

[north yorks trinity]

1 minute ago, Stuff Smith said:

If it was England v Australia, he'd have disallowed it.

Unless it was Australia scoring it maybe. Easier to give it than face the flack, the cancel culture and the assault in the lift which would follow otherwise?

[Davo5]

Tonga desperately need Jason Taumalolo back & a good halfback.

[Tosh]

6 minutes ago, Stuff Smith said:

I bloody love PNG. How easy is it to change your nationality?

Very easy for RL players.

[Tippytoe]

4 minutes ago, Stuff Smith said:

If it was England v Australia, he'd have disallowed it.

British officials always bend over backwards to favour the Aussies. French officials never did: that's why don't have them any more.  Aussie officials always look after their own.

True 

[Tosh]

3 minutes ago, Tippytoe said:

At full speed I thought no try but on Vr straight try, poor decision IMHO.

And that’s why we have the video ref.

very disappointing all round.

[DavidM]

No coach seems to really know what to do with Fifita . I was amazed he came on in the second half . Holbrook can’t consistently unlock him … Or its him . Either way its a bit of a mystery as he’s phenomenally super talented 

[Dunbar]

Just now, DavidM said:

No coach seems to really know what to do with Fifita . I was amazed he came on in the second half . Holbrook can’t consistently unlock him … Or its him . Either way its a bit of a mystery as he’s phenomenally super talented 

It's quite incredible.  In such a physical game, I can't actually remember the Kumuls actually tackling him to the ground, he was held up or offloaded almost every tackle.

I believe he should have been on sooner and Tonga need to use him better.

[UTK]

7 minutes ago, north yorks trinity said:

Can see where you're coming from but I'm more confident of making the final than if we'd had to play Aus or NZ along the way.

Fair, but they have to run through two high-quality and extremely physical teams in successive matches in the leadup to the final. Whereas AUS will likely have Ireland/Lebanon and NZ an understrength Fiji in the Quarters.

[Waynebennettswinger]

Not sure how that came across on TV but live that was a terrific game. Both teams deserved a full stadium. Great effort from both sides.

[SydneyRoosters]

Does anyone know why England vs Australia kept popping up with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook scoring a double in the 88th minute, FOR BOTH TEAMS.  Leaked World Cup final ?

[Davo5]

11 minutes ago, DavidM said:

No coach seems to really know what to do with Fifita . I was amazed he came on in the second half . Holbrook can’t consistently unlock him … Or its him . Either way its a bit of a mystery as he’s phenomenally super talented 

He’s an impact player & a bit of a flat track bully,who can pull off an amazing run & then disappears for 20 mins,the trouble is he’s on ridiculous money so the Titans expect him to play big minutes to justify those wages.