Last night, Leeds Rhinos were able to just about overcome Huddersfield Giants in an 18-14 win at Headingley.
The fixture was live on Sky Sports with a Wednesday night game a rarity, but it was a feisty affair with some serious quality but also with some controversial incidents thrown in.
One of those controversial incidents involved Leeds’ Richie Myler who, after being tackled by Huddersfield’s Chris Hill, threw his legs into the air to mimic a tip tackle in the dying stages of the game.
With referee Jack Smith and video referee Marcus Griffiths communicating, Hill was sent to the sinbin with less than ten minutes to go.
From that set, Leeds charged up the other end and scored through Blake Austin off a great Brad Dwyer offload, but it was that incident that formed the talking points in the Sky Sports studio after the game – especially with it being such a critical moment in the game.
For pundit Phil Clarke, it was ‘a disgrace’.
“It’s a disgrace, we brought in a rule a few years ago about throwing a ball into a player that was offside to penalise those that threw the ball.
“We need to do the same with this. I disagree with Jon Wilkin who said it was clever.
“Richie Myler plays for a penalty and there is nothing wrong with him. We talked about this sport as an honest game but that is long gone; that is a disgrace.
“If that doesn’t change I don’t want to watch or commentate on a sport where that happens.
“By using video replays for on field decisions we have encouraged things like that, it needs to change.”
All in all, it was a brilliant advert for rugby league with big hits, superb skill and stellar tries leading the way, but unfortunately, that incident took precedence for how much it changed the game.
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Smudger
August 26, 2022 at 1:59 am
Clarke is 100% correct, Myler should have been sent to the bin, not Hill
Graham
August 26, 2022 at 2:53 pm
Hill is an idiot always out looking for trouble, he’s always been the same, at end of the day he shouldn’t have held on to mylar, he deserved a penalty going against him for sure due to interference at play the ball, he got what he deserved, I’m not 100% in agreement that mylar did throw his legs up but even if he did, he was still Tring to get loose and hill still continued to hold him anyone would do the same? Hill was entirely to blame not mylar!
Graham
August 26, 2022 at 2:49 pm
This is nothing new? It’s been going on for years and happens in every game? Some players play the ref for penalties dropping balls after tackle complete and appealing the ball was stolen? Happens all the time? It’s a professional foul and the offender should be penalised, but hiw often do you see that happen? 1% will get caught out, 99% will get the penalty they seek and gain ground? That’s precisely what they do it for and refs fall hook line and sinker almost ever time?
In the game between Huddersfield and Leeds, Huddersfield played almost the whole game offside at plat the ball, the ref penalised them only twice leeds played offside around four times in the whole game leeds penalised twice? It’s amazing that refs and linesmen perticulary don’t see what’s in front of there face? Or mire to the point ignore it?
The games dieing and fan base is dropping every week now as fans pay good money to watch live at venues only to see referees kill the game, sending off players getting them banned each and everyweek so the clubs struggle to field a full squad? It’s killing the game, that’s why the fan base is getting worse, leeds, Wigan, saints, bull etc all had record crouds well in access of 20,000 almost every week, now we’re lucky to see 13,000 the numbers speak volumes? As a fan all we ask is a fair game by referees but it’s not tge case, games don’t flow anymore far top many stoppages? The delays from some players in kicking a goal (penalty or conversions) take an age to do and even though crown’s and playes scream for the clock to stop at the ref he ignores it? One such case in last fifteen mins of the leeds rhinos vs huddersfield giants just gone? Watch again to see if I lie? It’s there as evidence for all to see? I’ve been a fan and season ticket holder for almost 60byears but can’t see me been so much longer unless the referees are brought into line and stop killing the game with ridiculous sinbins, excessive stoppages in the game (injuries acceptable) and stop getting the players banned for no good reason?