Quote Originally Posted by MurderOnZidanesFloor View Post
That was an action packed grand final to say the least. It’s easy to watch replays and clearly see that the red card was extremely harsh, but I’ll give the referee the benefit of the doubt as bodys were all over the place and a player hit the turf. My issue is the lunging studs up tackle. Everybody at the ground knew it was a red card. How the referee is standing 5 metres away and doesn’t have the back bone to call it is baffling. Screams of incompetence.

In addition, congratulations to Virgili on carrying on like a pork chop at full time. Fingers crossed he doesn’t back flip on his retirement. 10 years of being carried is enough.
Have to agree the red card was one of the most baffling decisions I have seen in many years. It looked pretty obvious that the Lambton play was to see if they could get the Maitland players off the field and accept they would get a yellow card. The plan worked with Goodman a passenger for the better part of the first half and Melmeth taken off after the send off. It must be said that if the foul on Goodman was called and Pappas yellow carded for that then the melee doesn't start. The blame for this rests squarely on both the assistant referees and referee. The inconsistency in officiating across the first 20 minutes was what caused the blow up. Pappas got a yellow for the studs up challenge which caused Melmeth to go off and should have had a second for simulation because if the hit from Thomas put him on his butt he better beware of falling leaves.

I don't know what Virgilli was thinking getting up in the faces of the Maitland players after the win. When you have played most of the game with ten men, and only get beat 1-0 (it was a well worked goal) there was always going to be bad feeling. Accept the win and move on but obviously ego outweighed common sense.