Those who arrived early for the Balcatta v Sorrento All Flags State Premier league fixture on Saturday will have witnessed a bizarre piece of refereeing towards the end of the reserve team fixture.
Play was at one end of the park, and the goalkeeper furthest away shouted an abusive comment towards the referee. The man with the whistle, blew for play to stop, ran 70 metres to the other end of the park, to book the offensive keeper, and then proceeded to award a direct free kick to the opposition where the goalkeeper was standing when he shouted his abuse.
When questioned by many how he could possibly make such a decision, and why he did not wait until the ball was dead before cautioning the ‘keeper, he simply waved the players away. Maybe he was getting his codes confused and should return to rugby union.
