I posted earlier today on a similar topic concerning the independence and therefore integrity of the referees boss Bernard Sutton commenting on the efficacy of his brother Gerard Suttons' controversial calls in the Bulldogs v Broncos game.
Ive only just now realised that the 2 onfield refs in our Thursday night game were Gerard Sutton and HIS BROTHER Chris Sutton.
So here we go. Gerard and Chris Sutton made calls after conferring with each other during the game concerning the knock on by a Bronco of a high ball, non square Broncos marker who caused JMK to knock on, the treatment of Klemmer as captain, JMoz supposedly running someone off the ball, Mybes light touch on Boyd to end the game and the perfect performance of the Broncos in the 2nd half by not conceding any penalties.
Its irrelevent for commentators to say oh well it works itself out in the end. Many calls in a game are 50/50, some calls are what Phil Gould refers to as 1% calls - the ref may have a point but 99% of people think the call should of gone the other way, based upon calls in other games - eg the knock on of the bomb in this game and
JMoz hardly doing anything Thurston didnt do last night but wasnt penalized. So Bulldogs supporters are mainly concerned with the CONSISTENCY of refereeing and getting the rough end of the pineapple EVERY TIME WE HAVE GERARD SUTTON REFERREEING OUR GAME. We dont get 50% of the 50/50 calls and every 1% call goes against us.
Delving deeper, Thursdays game was refereed by Gerard and Chris Sutton. When Pay complained, Bernard Sutton reviews his brothers performances and importantly, as the referees boss THEN ADVISES THE NRL AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A COACH HAS OVERSTEPPED the mark with his comments and bought the game into disrepute warranting a fine.
Any person using an ounce of logic realises that where there is no independence, collusion can occur. Bernard Sutton should be sacked as referees boss if his 2 brothers are going to be active match referees. HOW THE HELL CAN THE NRL HAVE LET BERNARD SUTTONS APPOINTMENT HAPPEN. The risk of collusion and match fixing by the referees in this situation is so great that the NRL has itself BOUGHT THE GAME INTO DISREPUTE. There needs to be an immediate investigation into this lack of independence.