Rugby League: Call for refs to be streetwise

Glenn Stewart of the Rabbitohs. Photo / Getty Images

Gamesmanship is a fact of life in the NRL and referees need to be more aware of the lengths players will go to in their attempts to influence decisions and milk penalties, says Warriors coach Andrew McFadden.

South Sydney back-rower Glenn Stewart's stunning admission that he took a dive in a successful attempt to have a Cowboys try denied during Monday night's clash has sparked intense debate about the role of the video referee and the increasing trend of players staying down and faking injuries or taking dives in the hope they will be awarded a penalty.

Video referees are able to review tackles after an injury-related stoppage or any incident of possible obstruction in the lead-up to tries.

McFadden believes the Stewart incident should never have been judged as obstruction and called for referees to be more streetwise when assessing player's motives and actions in such situations.

"It's all gamesmanship and at the moment I don't know if the officials pick up on those little subtleties that players know how to manipulate and that's why [Stewart has] done it," McFadden said.

"It's been happening for a while. The fact he's come out and admitted it, we all knew it anyway. So from my perspective, we've got to learn to get those things right without the dives.

"Whether he took a dive or not the referees needed to come up with a better decision there. It certainly wasn't obstruction in my opinion. They've got to be smarter than that."

Back-rower Ryan Hoffman applauded Stewart's candour and admitted he would try to exploit the current rules in a grand final situation.

"Good on Glenn, for telling the truth," Hoffman said.

"The rules give players that opportunity and look, say it was in a grand final, of course you're going to take a dive. You know what I mean?

"The game is on the line and you're going to do what it takes to win. We put our trust in the referees and video referees to make the right decision.

"I certainly don't agree with diving for injuries and all that sort of stuff, I think that's a big blight on our game.

"But because the obstruction rule has been under fire and a thousand different reviews, players aren't sure any more. So the fall-back option has been, if you feel you're impeded let everyone be aware of it."

Prop Ben Matulino said every side had players who tried to manipulate the rules and referee's processes to their advantage.

"Heaps of people do it," Matulino said. "I know as soon as there's [something like] a crusher tackle people start faking and holding their neck and then next minute they're up running the ball at 100 miles an hour and it doesn't really affect them.

"There's people in every team that do it. I'll back him [Stewart] up on his [comments]. Everyone does it."