Have we gone awry?

[Na Madrai]

Following the late cancellation of my match this afternoon, I took the rare opportunity to go watch the kid brother. He is a higher grade than meself and he was refereeing teams, both of whom were promoted last season and both of whom are struggling this season. I have refereed both of these teams on numerous occasions.

In a nut shell, I thought that he had a very poor game. He seemed very whistle happy, both teams struggled to get any continuity and he seemed to lack any empathy with the players.

He gets assessed every match and both he and his assessor, whom I know, were willing to let me eavesdrop his report. In yet another nutshell, the assessor thought that he was outstanding!!!!!!!

After both had left, I spoke to several players from both sides and, in a third nutshell, they thought that he was not refereeing for the benefit of the players but for the benefit of a guy on the touchline with a clipboard.

So, are we in danger of losing the most basic reason that we referee - to give a bit of pleasure to the thirty guys/gals on the pitch?

NM

 

[DrSTU]

I think there are two ways of looking at this:

1) Pole climbers that want to get as high as possible in the reffing world (and that is not a bad thing), the game is a means to an end.
2) You cannot know how well you are doing unless someone "measures" you. If you don't know that you've picked up bad habits then assessment is a good way of finding these out (as is coaching).

I doubt you'll find many in camp 1 though as the vast majority of referees are there to help facilitate a game.

 

[OB..]

After both had left, I spoke to several players from both sides and, in a third nutshell, they thought that he was not refereeing for the benefit of the players but for the benefit of a guy on the touchline with a clipboard.

What sort of thing did they mean?
Did they put in their own assessments? If so, I would hope a significant discrepancy would be picked up.

And of course if I had seen the match, I might find myself agreeing with assessor rather than the players. :biggrin:

 

[Taff]

......After both had left, I spoke to several players from both sides and, in a third nutshell, they thought that he was not refereeing for the benefit of the players but for the benefit of a guy on the touchline with a clipboard.

I've never really understood this criticism if I'm honest. Surely the assessor will want to see the ref reffing the game sensibly. I just don't see why the assessors priorities will be any different to the players. Perhaps I'm missing something.

 

[Simon Thomas]

If he is being assessed every week, and higher than you at L8 I assume he is a Group L5 or Federation L6 pushing Group nomination referee.

There are clear refereeing expectations at those levels and they are consistent nationally (and agreed by the L5 Coaches and published in the L5 Protocols. At L5 there is increasing money involved as well as enjoyment and the clubs expect consistent high level refereeing.

You say both are newly promoted teams, and both are struggling - so perhaps their ability was not up the same level as the referee's - we are very clear as assessors that referees do not drop their standards to the levels of teams not performing.

An assessor at this level is looking for game understanding, preventative management, match control, empathy, and control - correct law application is asumed. The balanced between preventative & punative actions is a crucial part of the assessment. If players are not listening to his preventative management, then he will sanction - not whistle-happy at all, but perhaps reflecting the poor standard of play.

 

[ddjamo]

if it's level 5 or 6 - sounds like whistle happy as they should really be able to comprehend "blue 7 roll" or "tackler away".

 

[Simon Thomas]

ddjamo - agreed, and an interesting discussion about effective management & communication would follow.

 

[Na Madrai]

I think perhaps ST has hit the nail on the head. His refereeing ability was probably better than the teams' playing ability and he refused to lower his standards as, as Simon says, he has probably been instructed!

He has clearly been marked for bigger and better things, he is assessed at every match, regularly goes on exchange, has his own coach and good luck to him.

Thanks for your input.

NM

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

Well I would lower my standards to geta game of rugby especially if both teams are simply bad as opposed to deliberately offending, but i may age I don't care what an assessor thinks if it's a game like that and i get quite a few.