Rugby League talking points: Refereeing controversy, Super League’s relegation battle and Bradford Bulls’ Odsal goodbye

Scrutiny of both the images Super League’s referees, and the ultimate match of Odsal all feature.
It’s been a difficult week for Super League’s game officials, who possess a thankless enough task they have faced from several quarters.
On Friday, St Helens owner Eamonn McManus caused a stir with his remarks about the appointment of Robert Hicks to the Challenge Cup final and some of the conclusions the Saddleworth referee created at Wembley, in his programme notes to the match against Castleford Tigers.
Those comments have observed McManus – who published a statement on Sunday through the site of the club reiterating his views – known to the RFL’s compliance team.
Wakefield Trinity head coach Chris Chester didn’t hold back on Sunday either, was left handed by the situation which resulted in Liam Marshall scoring a try at Sunday’s 24-16 defeat to Wigan Warriors.
Referee Scott Mikalauskas neglected to ensure Wigan winger Marshall exploited the ball on the markers from a restart before sprinting the length of this area to score his second try of the match – a determination that incensed Chester.
“You’ve got a referee who is on the place and only let Liam Marshall exploit wherever he desired,” Chester said post-match.
“I really don’t know if the rules have changed, however, it’s just a disgraceful call, a disgraceful telephone number. It is a telephone you shouldn’t secure wrong.”
That conquer as a member of three groups games left in the time, Wakefield, who have only two wins in their previous 13 Super League games.
A success in Perpignan over Catalans Dragons saw although Huddersfield Giants did likewise by winning, Hull Kingston Rovers remain in that group.
It means side London Broncos must now win their remaining games off to Rovers – which can be live on Sky Sports this Friday – to have any hope of staying up after a beat at home.
The Broncos have defied many naysayers to become in with a chance of avoiding the drop at this phase of the season and head coach Danny Ward has backed his team to rise to the challenge .
“The boys have been devastated because they understand they’ve not done well and they’ve dropped, but it is a brief turnaround and we have got to win the next couple of,” Ward said.
“They have been in this situation before and hopefully they can draw on those experiences. It’s must-win time, it’s white and black so that it depends how the boys respond to that and hopefully they cope with that pressure and it will get the most out of them”
Catalans’ defeat to Hull KR eliminated them in contention for a spot in Super League’s top five, leaving four teams jostling for position behind League Leaders’ Shield winners St Helens.
Castleford Tigers are two things beyond the play-off regions after Friday’s 4-0 defeat away to Saints, while Salford Red Devils, Hull FC and Warrington Wolves are locked on 30 points.
However, it is currently the Grand Final champions win away to Wakefield of last year.
The Warriors are on a run which has seen them endure one defeat – against rivals St Helens – in their 10 matches since dropping in Magic Weekend.
Head coach Adrian Lam knows the job is not done yet, but is thrilled with the way his side have seen their groove since the year builds towards the business end.
“The dressing area’s pretty excited at the moment,” Lam said. “They know, they’ve been prepped across the way how important this has been and also the trip that we have been around to get here.
“I did not want to mention the other hand when we’d of missing, a possible chance of missing out over the five collectively. That it is.
“Everybody’s worked really hard and I believe we’re in a fantastic place right now.”
This was an emotional weekend for the players, staff and supporters of Bradford Bulls because they bid farewell house to football league in the city since 1934.
The ground that has hosted international Tests and once watched over 100,000 fans cram into it for a Challenge Cup final replay will now have its doors closed after becoming prohibitively expensive to the club, together with the Bulls moving 11 miles off to ground-share in Dewsbury Rams’ Tetley’s Stadium for 2020.
The 7,531 audience in attendance Sunday watched Bradford sign off at the famous old ground in a high as they defeated Sheffield Eagles 30-10 at the Championship and chairman Andrew Chalmers has vowed the town will be returned to by the club.
As yet there are no firm plans as to where or when that is.
“It is sad, however I do not understand the financing in ultimate detail so we have just got to keep this team alive and kicking and progressing,” Bulls head coach John Kear said after the win over Sheffield.
“That’s what we will be attempting to do at Dewsbury following year before finally we return someplace in Bradford that is befitting of a team that is hard for Super League or will be in Super League.”
Finally, spare a thought for Barrow Raiders, who had to confront the might of Toronto Wolfpack in Canada on Saturday with just 14 players.
The Raiders’ squad has been decimated by injuries lately anyway and the part-timers also had many players that have been unavailable to make the greater than 3,000-mile excursion.
Given those conditions, the conquer – with Barrow’s points all coming from Jamie Dallimore within his 100th appearance for the club against the fulltime leaders is no disgrace.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, that loss supported their relegation after two years back. There is place to be one Cumbrian representative at the Championship next year.
Whitehaven’s 74-6 triumph on the weekend means they should prevent away defeat to Coventry Bears on Saturday to seal marketing.
Neighbours Workington Town may be arriving as well last year, after missing out if they could successfully browse the play-offs.

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