As a Penrith Panthers supporter, I HATE hearing excuses like this.
Jamie Soward has told NRL Tonight that the lack of big name players in the Penrith Panthers lineup hurts them when it comes to how referees control their games.
“Out at Penrith we don’t really have a big name to go up and question (referees), so we’re not getting the calls there” he told NRL Tonight.
The Panthers have started the season with two straight losses and its hard to see why they would have anything to say about the referees. Soward contends that refereeing has been inconsistent in the first two round. I would suggest that they have been far more consistent than the Panthers have played since….well, forever!
When you have the type of season the Panthers had in 2015, that saw the coach sacked, and then start the 2016 0-2, you’re not allowed to make excuses!
Soward talked about the manner in which he confronts referees, but that is his problem. In the middle of the field with a thousand things to watch, 26 players looking to get one over them, and thousands of supporters yelling at them, the last thing a referee is thinking about is whether or not Jamie Soward talked nicely to them when they decide to make a call.
