PopTart wrote:
Just watched it back.
Clearly a penalty.
Crowther may not have intended it but he was on the wrong side of the ruck and didn't get out of the way.
Whetger you like it or not it's the rule and the Hooker had every right to pass the ball.
22.11 mins on Trinity TV if you want to look.
As I mentioned on the other thread. The attacker cannot deliberately throw the ball at a defender which he did whether wrong side or not. He must have been all of 1 1/2 foot high in the crouch position. Unless the receiver is 3 foot high the pass wasn't going to another player. He clearly throws it down towards the defender which is a penalty to us.
Having watched it back I'm astounded how much Dave gets held down but pinged for 4 pens himself. The offsides is debatable whether the linesman was telling him but they usually do.
The RFL statement read: “Following a review of the first two weeks of the Betfred Super League season, it has become clear that some players are deliberately passing a ball into a player with the sole intention of forcing the Match Official to award a penalty for offside.”
“Having reviewed these incidents, Rugby Football League Head of Match Officials, Steve Ganson, has written to all Head Coaches and made it clear that in these situations, Match Officials have now been instructed to consider Section 15 (i) of the Laws of the Game which state that a player is guilty of misconduct if he behaves in any way contrary to the true spirit of the game.
“This does not in any way absolve a defender of his responsibilities to clear the ruck and the defending team will still be penalised should the Match Official deem he is interfering with play.”
