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ADDED SATURDAY 23/02/2008 I seem to have ongoing issues with referees, god bless them. Last night, Friday 22/02/2008, I was standing calmly in the twilight, on my own, as a spectator, minding my own business. One of the teams had just scored a try near the sideline I was adjacent to. While the player was lining up the kick, the referee yelled at me "if you are from Rangers can you do something about the lights (I assume he meant turn them on as it was getting dark). I said I wasn't, I'm just a spectator I replied gesturing in the direction of the Rangers camp. He quickly fired back, "if you are a spectator you should be further back". Things like that fire one up, and I replied, "mate I'm behind the rope, how far back would you like me to be?" to which he then replied "I haven't come here for an argument". He started the dam argument. In any case, maybe it is an indication as to why I spent so much time in front of judiciaries in my playing time. I got to know the process pretty well. On refereeing, the brightest prospect I have seen up here this year is a young lady, not sure if she is visiting or a new resident, my great fear is the people I see around her passing on advice, she should be advising them, as one of the guys that won't leave her alone is fast getting to worst two status, I don't think anyone will surpass the worst I have ever seen, it's not possible (still reffing up here by the way). While still on referees, an interesting thing occurred last night. Interesting because it came up at College training on Wednesday, and surprisingly the boys or alot of them knew nothing of it. It is the old "play the ball in any direction immediately" " no double movement possible in rugby combo". Wednesday we explained to the boys that when tackled you are required to play the ball immediately, and that you can play the ball in any direction, INCLUDING reaching out and scoring a try if you are tackled in the vicinity of the tryline. Strangely enough, college gun and a boy going places, Ellis Jensen, has busted the line through heavy traffic, been tackled just short, hit the ground and in the one movement reached out and scored a try, to the infernal call of "double movement". Anyone standing near me may have heard me curse a little, it is a simple law and one that everyone should know, now through stupidity, I have confused kids again. I can cope with alot of laws, but this playing the ball happens hundreds of times in any game, important refs know it properly. My other beef with refs from last night comes on the scrum calls in the Under 16 match. One of my worst 5 ever was reffing, and in te first half the call went crouch.....touch.pause......engage with virtually no gap between the touch and pause. I'm quite comfortable with that, as long as it is consistent. Later in the match though we had crouch.......touch....... pause......engage, and alot of resets and penalties. Not surprising given the springload you are trying to achieve in the crouch and set phase. On to the footy, and was most impressed on the whole with the Regional College kids that were playing. I guess that given the programmes we are offering them and teaching them, that they should be doing the things I see most of them doing, but it is always good to see it actually put into practice. The Darling Downs Under 15 side should have a pretty white hot backline, if correctly selected, actually the whole side should be pretty fair, as should the Under 14's. I will be looking forward very much to the 2008 Qld Under 15 side, we should get a couple up, bold statement but I have been quite impressed with what the boys are doing rugby wise, and that should continue for a couple of years, with some great young kids coming through the ranks, Marcus Tanzer, Nick Leggat and Caleb Stoddart are names to write down for 2009. |
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WE DON'T STOP PLAYING BECAUSE WE GROW OLD, WE GROW OLD BECAUSE WE STOP PLAYING. |
