Pressure On Referees

It's too easy to blame the official in the middle for issues in the game. RL is no exception. I hear so many saying that the referee cost the team the game or that the match didn't flow due to the way it was managed. So who's to blame?

Problems:

1) The decisions favoured one side. The person with the whistle is scrutinised by cameras that catch every angle while he/she gets one look in real time. Vision can be obscured and even replays on TV can be inconclusive so they have a difficult job.

A referee that allows personal feeling to shape a result would be rare, if non-existent. If the official has a way of judging situations that doesn't go with a particular team's style, it could give the impression of favourtism. However, refs will tell you they are objective and I believe them.

2) The game didn't flow. If teams push the boundaries of the rules to try and get an advantage and they are penalised accordingly, that is the teams fault, not the official. They are instructed by their coaches to try and disrupt the opponents game, usually by slowing down the play the ball.

3) The play the ball area is a mess. Many fans for some reason blame the official for this. Hello? Taking too long to get off the tackled player is the player's problem. A tackled player getting up slowly while staring at the referee is the player's fault.

Solutions:

1) The decisions favoured one side. In any given match, 50/50 decisions will favour one side but over the course of a season, they will level out.

2) The game didn't flow. I know, why not try sportsmanship? You know, that word that once meant something but today no one knows the meaning of.

3) The play the ball area is a mess. This is because fast play the balls - catching out retreating defenses - is a vital tactic to taking control. Players on the receiving end then try to slow this down. The poor official has to try balance the two conflicting efforts and is blamed for the ensuing mess that often occurs.

This needs to be looked at through the rules of the game. It's certainly not the referees fault.

Summary: These people do a fine job, trying to be fair while under constant pressure to deliver precise and accurate decisions in a high speed sporting environment. If you think they are useless, join ranks their ranks and see how you get on.