Referees boss defends video decision

NRL REFEREES boss Robert Finch has defended a controversial video decision in St George Illawarra’s win over Brisbane on Friday night.<br><br>The Dragons prevailed 34-16 at home at WIN Stadium against an inexperienced but gutsy Brisbane.<br><br>However, the decision not to award a try to Brett Morris from video referee Sean Hampstead, who found obstruction from Dragons teammate Matt Cooper, had some viewers confused. Finch called BigPond Sports Weekend to explain.<br><br>“What concerns me with all of this is if some media and commentators actually attended the referees key indicators at the start of each year for the last three or four years we wouldn’t be talking about this,” Finch said. “We’ll talk about it anyway.<br><br>“If someone is going to receive the football inside that block runner there must be depth on that pass, otherwise he must receive it on the outside of that block runner.<br><br>“That has been the interpretation for the last four to five years, but we continue having to explain this.<br><br>“The bottom line of it is if he wants to run that line, he must either receive the football on the outside of that block runner or receive the ball inside, but with far more depth than he has already.”<br><br>Finch said defenders should not have to worry about a player in front of the ball or someone running behind them.<br><br>“A defender shouldn’t have to do that, shouldn’t have to put up with that,” he said.<br><br>“That is why it’s been no try this year, why it’s been no try last year and why it’s been no try for a number of years.”<br><br>On the match, former Australian coach Brad Fittler said the young Broncos showed good energy and enthusiasm, but senior players made too many mistakes.<br><br>“They showed real sharpness, and the ball-movement was nice, but too many errors and they couldn’t defend an error either.<br><br>“If you’re going through a time where you need to build confidence and youth, you can’t do that.”