Does it worry you?

[scmods]

Genuine, non-trolling post from someone with very little interest in League (since they took the Reds away from us, they can go and get ****ed), but is interested to hear opinions on this:


Do you think it is a problem for the NRL that the most well-known person in the game these days is a referee rather than a player?
I couldn't name any player in the league, but I know who Bill Harrigan is.

 

[clucas91]

Re: Re: Does it worry you?

Originally posted by Brett Li


No one knows who you are so why not **** off from this board you troll ?

You seem to have more trolling ability that scmods (State County Municipal Offender Data System) Chris!

 

[scmods]

Ok, I'll come clean! I'm really Gavin Dore looking for some tips on how to get a Tesltra ad!

Any sensible responses out there?

 

[The Executioner]

Why is it that if I visit The West Australian site and check out the sport I see a few Rugby League stories but none have Bill Harrigan in the headline?

http://www.thewest.com.au/20021008/sport/index.html

 

[Desredandwhite]

I'll attempt a serious answer.

FWIW I think Bill Harrigan IS the best referee in the comp, but it can't be doing him any good to have the continual publicity and pressure. he's refereed what, 999 out of the last 1000 grand finals?! Give someone else a go!

IMHO officials are doing their best job when they are not the centre of attention.

 

[The Executioner]

I think Bill wouldn't of got the gig this year if Hampstead hadn't been ruled out because of the Police Integrity thing.

 

[scmods]

I am quite serious!

Obviously if I went seeking Rugby League news it would be a different story, but as someone with no particular interest the only news story I can recall hearing in passing in the GF leadup was whether or not Harrigan should be the ref!

Maybe it's because I'm not in a rugby state, but he seems to get more coverage than anybody else. I mean, I can't imagine an AFL or cricket umpire doing Telstra ads? (And notice in the ads they just call him Bill so they obviously think everyone will know who he is) How did he get to that position? Is he that much a better ref than anybody else?

While washing the dishes in between my last post and this, I made an effort to try and think of some RL players names. All I could come up with was Alfie Langer (not sure if he's still playing?) and Fittler (pretty sure he's League not Union). since I'm not a fan of the game that's not a big deal, but I just think the fact that a referee has a bigger reputation is a bit odd? What would the ACB think if there were people around who couldn't name a single cricket player, but knew who Darryl Harper was?

Anyway, if you think I'm trolling, treat me as you should treat all trolls and don't reply. If you've got an opinion apart from that, I'm interested in hearing it.

 

[The Executioner]

The media are the ones that create him.Nothing can be done about it.The NRL can't stop it althoigh they did gag him çause he likes to open his trap now and then.

The fans couldn't give a rats about him and I aint changing my phone over to Telstra just because Bill's in their add.Who would?WTF does he know about phones?

 

[dr nick]

i think his profile is a bit alarming. he thinks he is bigger than the game sometimes and referees accordingly. executioner, you think he wasnt after a headline during that parra newcastle match? his ego is unrivalled. was it cayless he blasted when he had a go at a teammate and he thought he was talking to him?? i think he said something like "youve cost us the game" and harrigan went nuts at him. just shut your trap sometimes bill.
he then goes and trains with parramatta making good mates with some of the players. surely it has to influence your objectivity if you are good mates with a guy you are reffing.

however the general standard of refereeing in the NRL is woeful, and that means bill "hollywood" harrigan is probably the best. but that doesnt mean he's not biased and woeful as well. he's had a bad history of favouring super league clubs, though recently during the broncos/roosters prelim, you would have to say he went the other way a bt too far.

certainly not as bad as "grasshopper" who gave qld the origin on a plate, year in year out.

 

[dr nick]

bill harrigan is also guilty of pre judgeing teams before the match starts. he admits that parra like to slow down the play the ball, so he is harsher on them than other teams who do exactly the same thing, resulting in the 4 sin binnings that time

 

[The Executioner]

Don't remind me of that game nicko.

Bloody Harrigan was on a mission that night

He has got an ego but strangely I met him once and he seemed prettty normal but was a lot shorter than I thought.

 

[The Executioner]

Originally posted by scmods
I am quite serious!

Obviously if I went seeking Rugby League news it would be a different story, but as someone with no particular interest the only news story I can recall hearing in passing in the GF leadup was whether or not Harrigan should be the ref!

But when I went to The West Australian website I just clicked on sport and voila there's at least three RL stories. so it's doesn't appear you have to go looking for them.

BTW, what would it worry you that the main things I hear about AFL are Eddie McGuire, John Elliot and Wayne Carey banging some blokes mrs?

 

[scmods]

Originally posted by The Executioner


But when I went to The West Australian website I just clicked on sport and voila there's at least three RL stories. so it's doesn't appear you have to go looking for them.

but going looking for them is exactly what you just described doing!

If the League results/highlights come on the news I'll watch them. I might glance at a League story in the paper, but not much further than the headline and the opening paragraph (this morning there's a story about some Kiwi guy complaining that the tribunal is biased). But if I'm visiting a sports or news website (Sportswatch is a good example) I wouldn't click on a link to a League story.

Out of that level of exposure, I wouldn't expect to know much about the game, and I don't. But if someone asked me to name a name from the NRL, Harrigan is the first to come to mind.

BTW, what would it worry you that the main things I hear about AFL are Eddie McGuire, John Elliot and Wayne Carey banging some blokes mrs?

not really. it would worry me if you'd never heard of those people, but could name one of the goal umpires.

even if you're a fan there's no reason to know much about the match officials. the only AFL umpire I can name is Gavin Dore, and that's only because there's we've got a loony on the AFL board who says she's his cousin.

I just find it odd that Harrigan has become such a big name, and I'm wondering how it happened. Is he a former player or something like that?

Incidentally, it was because of the thread on the AFL board complaining about the trolling here that I became aware that this board existed, and that's why I came to ask this question which has intrigued me for a while. But in light of the recent goings-on, I can see how it looked like yet another troll. I'm not anti-League, I'm just not pro-League! I'm more more or less indifferent. Some people like it, some don't. Some people like AFL some don't. Each to their own I say.

 

[Ms.Storm]

Scmads.

Originally posted by scmods

but going looking for them is exactly what you just described doing!

If the League results/highlights come on the news I'll watch them. I might glance at a League story in the paper, but not much further than the headline and the opening paragraph (this morning there's a story about some Kiwi guy complaining that the tribunal is biased). But if I'm visiting a sports or news website (Sportswatch is a good example) I wouldn't click on a link to a League story.

Out of that level of exposure, I wouldn't expect to know much about the game, and I don't. But if someone asked me to name a name from the NRL, Harrigan is the first to come to mind.

not really. it would worry me if you'd never heard of those people, but could name one of the goal umpires.

even if you're a fan there's no reason to know much about the match officials. the only AFL umpire I can name is Gavin Dore, and that's only because there's we've got a loony on the AFL board who says she's his cousin.

I just find it odd that Harrigan has become such a big name, and I'm wondering how it happened. Is he a former player or something like that?

Incidentally, it was because of the thread on the AFL board complaining about the trolling here that I became aware that this board existed, and that's why I came to ask this question which has intrigued me for a while. But in light of the recent goings-on, I can see how it looked like yet another troll. I'm not anti-League, I'm just not pro-League! I'm more more or less indifferent. Some people like it, some don't. Some people like AFL some don't. Each to their own I say.

Rugby league is a totally different culture to afl.....you have to be involved in it to understand.......its much more down to earth and a more forthright game, where players, officials, etc. aren't too scared to say their piece, unlike in the afl, where a fine is in place virtually at anything said against the afl, umpires, etc.

Harrigan is not the only ref. with a big name in rugby league.....granted a little bigger than the other ones, but they a big part of rugby league (only ONE REF. PER GAME, unlike in afl where there are three!!

Mander, Hampstead and others are pretty well known too (and the fans love to bag them to death too ....

So hopefully this has answered your question somewhat....

 

[dr nick]

Re: Scmads.

Originally posted by Ms.Storm


Rugby league is a totally different culture to afl.....you have to be involved in it to understand.......its much more down to earth and a more forthright game, where players, officials, etc. aren't too scared to say their piece, unlike in the afl, where a fine is in place virtually at anything said against the afl, umpires, etc.

you have got to be kidding ms storm... there is a $10,000 fine impsed at the slightest hint that a coach bags the ref or the judiciary.

havent you even read about phil gould being taken to court because he said that the judiciary got something wrong??