CDRL refs call as they see it

CDRL referees will be no more or less pedantic than previous seasons in 2018 but both officials and the league hope the men in the middle can avoid “blowing the pea out of the whistle”.

While NRL whistleblowers have been under the microscope for a record number of penalties to start the season, CDRL Referees Association secretary Peter Narducci said there had been no directive to change their attitude towards or target any particular infringement.

“We’re not going to change anything from what we have in previous years,” he said.

“The law will be enforced and if there’s players constantly in front (off-side) then, yes, we’re going to blow a penalty.

“Our instruction to our referees is more around vocab (communication).

“We’re not going to be instructing our referees to go out there and blow the pea out of the whistle.

“We’re not saying we’re not going to penalise, we’re just going to be enforcing the rules.”

In 2017, referees particularly took a stand against dissent and typically showed little fear of sin binning players for foul play or repeat infringements.

CDRL chairman Colin Moore called on referees to give players some leeway to start the A-grade season to avoid the farcical penalty count struck during the Sharks v Storm NRL contest on Friday.

“No doubt they will be on top of the play the ball and keeping that 10m,” he said of the CDRL referees. Saturday, April 7 6pm: Mareeba v Kangaroos, Davies Park 6pm: Mossman v Brothers, Mossman Showground 6pm: Tully v Southern Suburbs, Tully Showground 7pm: Edmonton v Innisfail Brothers, Petersen Park Sunday, April 8 3pm: Ivanhoes v Atherton, Smithfield

“I just hope that our referees manage the games rather than do everything by the letter of the law. We can only wait and see.

“No doubt everyone’s been watching TV and the referees would have been watching, too, and there will be a reflection from them and I hope it doesn’t start like that.

“It’s going to be interesting, but I just hope our referees manage our games rather than just blowing the pea out of the whistle.”

Narducci said referee numbers were “similar” to last year, during which matches were regularly rescheduled at the eleventh hour to the exasperation of clubs.

Ross Crear has returned to the Far North for 2018, offsetting the loss of Peter McKinnon from the ranks, while Kane Schwartz and Kurt Igesund will again be among the A-grade group. Should CDRL players be kept to NRL standards? Email us jacob.grams@news.com.au