This sure was a busy week of footy.
Wednesday and Thursday hosted Origins before NRL Round 13 produced the highest of highs, and unfortunately the lowest of lows.
The whistle-blowing elephant in the room needs to be addressed, and will be.
Coaches have been gagged in Press Conferences and are unable to say anything negative about referees.
I am under no such gag order.
Not that anyone will care, but I'll happily vent the frustrations below that some are unable to.
There were also some major highs this weekend. We'll break those down too.
Below are 20 thoughts from Round 13, and State of Origin:
1. Every single year we declare this is the worst officiating crop we've ever seen ... Well, I'm here to state that 2025 is the year we have hit the lowest of lows. Stay with me while I vent about some absolute officiating garbage from this past weekend.
2. Origin Three was decided by the howler of all howlers by Bunker official Liam Kennedy. Two players who were both contesting a lose ball collided, with the Maroons player knocking the ball out of the hands of the Blues player who arrived a half second prior. Liam Kennedy has ruled the QLD players "was just making a tackle" despite zero intent to make such a tackle.
3. Last night we saw Chris Butler rule that a Canberra player was offside despite the rule clearing stating he couldn't be. Not only was the kicker, who was attempting to ruin Owen Patty onside, held back and denied the right, bit the fact an onside Canberra player, more than 10 metres away, contacted the ball before an opponent, voids the Patty offside. Two errors in one!
4. How much money have we invested into the Bunker with it's multiple High Def camera angles, to rule "inconclusive" despite clear evidence that the ball was touched? What a colossal waste of money that thing has proven to be.
5. A 12 point turnaround on Saturday afternoon literally decided the game between the Titans and the Storm. The Storm were rewarded for ruck laziness, when the Titans were denied a clear try from dummy half. The penalty would see the Storm go up the other end and score. The margin? 12 points.
6. Des Hasler will probably cop a fine for his comments. The fine should go to the individual sitting in the Bunker making that horror decision. Officials need to have common sense and a grasp of the game they are ruling over. The official in question, seems to have neither.
Ok, enough about the referees ... until next week. No doubt they'll produce another series of unforgivable errors and face no consequences in Round 14.
7. Actually, one more. Remember last year when the NRL promised a complete review and overhaul of the NRL operations with an implied focus on officiating? I'd love to see the result of such review because if the lack of changes suggests it was either not completed, or the results were ignored.
8. If Michael Maguire didn't enter his new role with the Broncos without hair, he would have pulled plenty of it out already. One of the game's well known "old school" coaches has been unable to tame his club. A playing roster capable of literally anything has seemingly chosen to be mediocre. One win in six games simply isn't good enough for a side of this talent.
9. Mitchell Barnett looks set to miss Origin Two. Stefano Utoikamanu looks to be the obvious choice, given he was brought in and would have started should Payne Haas have missed Origin One. That said, surely the form of Keaon Koloamatangi is too good to ignore? I've given up on any sighting of Terrell May at this point. Lindsay Smith is also a shout.
10. Queensland fans are finally on the other end of "pick and stick" arguments. It's easy to pick and stick when you have an all future Immortal spine and you're winning. I don't think Billy Slater has any choice but to opt for changes in Game Two.
11. Words cannot describe how happy I am now that the Lachlan Galvin situation has been sorted. The Bulldogs have their man and we can all move on. I'm not sure that the interview the Dogs recorded and released was the best decision, though. If you haven't seen it, get ready for lots of "umms". I really think Galvin needed to be shielded from the media, even in-house media, for a few days prior to his likely debut.
12. Knights fans were more than a little upset that their $1.4 million dollar superstar didn't back up from Origin despite a horror game on Wednesday night. Adam O'Brien, who looks resigned to the fact his time in the Hunter is coming to an end, supposedly didn't name him due to injury concerns. Why did he play Origin if he was under a cloud? Newcastle's season is on the line and your star is sitting in the stands.
13. As a Sharks fans I am still struggling to come to terms with the fact we allowed Jack Williams to walk away to keep clearly inferior forwards. Can't keep them all but Williams has been magnificent in a struggling Eels outfit.
14. Talks of Payne Haas reportedly willing to explore options at the end of the season should send chills of horror down the spines of Broncos fans. Sure, it's a long time away, and Haas will be a Bronco until the end of 2027, but the fact his management is scouting interest is not a good sign. They have a Premiership-winning roster ... or so we thought.
15. That Latrell Mitchell second half on Sunday afternoon was about as dominant as you'll see all season. When he decides it's time to go, few can go with him. Unfortunately he seemed to go almost alone on Sunday for the Bunnies.
16. That Cowboys/Tigers clash on Saturday night was an absolute ripper. The Cowboys looked on pace to put 50 on the Tigers, who looked flat off the bye. Then the Tigers kicked into gear and threatened to run down a massive margin. So much fun! Momentum, again! It swings so massively in 2025.
17. Leo Thompson is facing a massive ban for a horror crusher tackle on Friday night. That's the third of fourth really bad one we've seen in 2025. Players picking prone attackers up and landing in that situation is unforgivable.
18. Much more forgivable is when players are being penalised for players slipping and falling into high contact. I maintain that a player, in a close Final, will "slip" to draw high contact. It's absolutely unavoidable and needs to be ruled upon as such. Otherwise a slip could literally decide a competition.
19. Isabelle Kelly's failure to ground the ball in Thursday night's Women's Origin highlighted how much attention to detail can matter. For those who missed it, the Roosters centre crossed for a try, slid in but the ball did not touch the ground. Many argued that her arm being under the ball should mean it's a try but just ground the ball.
20. Those who refer to Alex Johnston as a "catch and fall merchant" seriously have no idea. Even if he literally caught and fell to score 80 tries, he's still scored 120 further. 200 tries! Time to give up the nonsense and admit this bloke is a serious finisher. What an incredible stat for a bloke who has flown high in some ordinary sides.
