Page 17 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

TALKING POINT

We're only as strong as our weakest WIN YOUR OWN

member. If we've had five games

that have gone well and one that hasn't, how REFEREE'S WHISTLE!

are we going to make sure that that referee We’ve got five Acme whistles to give away, and to be in
” question:
improves for the next week? with a chance of winning one just answer the following

right is a plus. These are things we're trying to improve
in each and every one but ultimately it's his refereeing,
his communication and understanding of policy."
But if a referee is struggling with his form, getting
decisions wrong and perhaps even impacting a result, they
will be held accountable. Both salaries and appointments
are all based around a referee's performance.
After a game, the elite-group referees are expected to
rewatch their game in detail before setting out for work
the following day.
"I will referee on a Sunday afternoon for example," Who was the referee in
says Kendall.
"I get home from Wakefield or Castleford or wherever
it is at 6pm. I then have a review process to get through charge of the 2019 Super
before I set off for work at 7am the next morning.
The review takes between four and four and a half League Grand Final?
hours. I'm going through it in magnifying detail. I
look at movement, positioning and decision making,
everything I can about the performance. Ultimately, A. Phil Bentham
you're looking at decisions and decision making to see
if you're right. But if you do get decisions wrong, what
led to that? B. Chris Kendall
"You might be travelling home from a match and be
thinking 'I know that decision was a big decision and I C. Robert Hicks
hope it was right.' You get home, you turn your laptop
on and that's the first thing you do, you stick your USB
in, and you check it. Send your entry by email to: whistlecomp@totalrl.com
"When it's not right, then that's hard to take. From
then, it's about honesty, looking at it, breaking it down - please include your full name, address and a daytime
and working out why I made the wrong decision. Is it contact telephone number.
effort? Is it work rate? Or I've got there, and I've seen it
wrong which sometimes it is and there's no answer to it. Or, write your answer plus the above details on a
"The ones I find hard are the errors that are down to postcard or the back of a sealed envelope and send it to:
process. Something that we've broken down as a team
or a mistake through a lack of effort. If I'd have worked Whistle Competition, Rugby League World, Wellington
harder off the line, I could have been in a better position
to get the decision right. If I'd have worked harder away House, Briggate, Brighouse, HD6 1DN.
from the scrum, I might have seen the ball steal at the Closing Date: 14th February 2020
back of the ruck.
"We're held to a very high account in the office. Gans
(Steve Ganson) drives very high standards. If standards Your Privacy: Any personal information
or decision making isn't where it needs to be then we
know about it and stuff gets put into place whether you supply when entering this
that's in training or an extra video session to learn and competition will only be used to fulfil
improve as a group. We're only as strong as our weakest
member. If we've had five games that have gone well the prize to the eventual winner.
and one that hasn't, how are we going to make sure that
that referee improves for the next week?" We will not retain or store your
We can't expect these referees to produce a 100 personal data for any other purpose, in
percent accurate game and even if they do, some
decisions will divide opinion. But what we can ask for accordance with our Privacy Policy which
is that they give it their all, analyse their performances
and attempt to improve and if this pre-season is can be viewed at www.totalrl.com
anything to go by, they'll certainly be doing that. RLW

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