THE debate over referee Tony Archer's handling of the State of Origin series took another twist last night when former Queensland great Gorden Tallis declared Archer should be congratulated for taking a stand on the influence of wrestling on the game.
NSW selector Bob Fulton suggested yesterday Archer had clamped down on the play-the-ball in Origin II because referees' boss Robert Finch had taken it upon himself to try to "change the face of Origin".
But former Brisbane second-rower Tallis, who played 17 Origin games, applauded Archer for being prepared to battle against wrestling tactics that were designed to slow the game. NSW lost the second game 30-0 at Suncorp Stadium, after winning a slower opening game 18-10 at ANZ Stadium.
"He policed the second game absolutely perfectly," Tallis said. "If they broke the law, they got penalised. I hear people talk about referees refeereeing a certain way, but the only way to referee, in my eyes, is to referee strictly to the rules. They are black and white.
"It was refreshing to see him backing the rules in the second game. He took a stand against the wrestling tactics. It may have ended up one-sided, but it was still a better spectacle than the first game. What do people want to see - wrestling holds or great tries? If you want to wrestle, go and join the judo club."
Tallis said he had no problem with Fulton voicing his opinion, adding: "Bob's got the right to say whatever he likes. He's in the team of the century. He's a passionate NSW supporter and he wants the Blues to play well and win."
But Tallis felt the match officials needed to try to curb the extent of wrestling tactics by being strong with their decision-making and said people who pointed to former referee Bill Harrigan's low penalty counts in Origin matches were living in the past because it's a different game now.
"If Billy was refereeing now, he would be having the same problems other referees are having," Tallis said. "The martial arts they are teaching the players now has changed things. The wrestling influence has gone to a whole new level.
"Queensland deserved to win the second game, and if the third game is refereed the same way and NSW win it, I'll accept they deserved to win it. NSW have got some great players. They have got to go out there and back their skills, and the referee has got to go out there and referee it."
Another former Queensland great, Allan Langer, also reckoned Archer's handling of Origin II was good for the game at large.
"The wrestling influence has gone over the top," Langer said. "I think with Origin you've got to let the game flow. That's what happened in the second game. Queensland had a good run at it. NSW might have a better run at it this time around.
"The best Origin games are the ones that combine toughness and free-flowing football. People like the intensity, but they also want to see players make long breaks and score tries. There's no reason NSW can't adjust for the third game - they've got players who can throw the ball around and make things happen."
Meanwhile, the player who did more than any other to make Origin great, Wally Lewis, said the best advice he could give rookie NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce would be to put the blinkers on and focus on doing what got him to this level in the first place.
"There are probably plenty of people wanting to give him advice, but I wouldn't be listening to much of it," Lewis said. "I remember when 'Alf' [Langer] played his first Origin game. He pretty much ran his own race in the lead-up and he ended up playing very well."
Pearce's father, Wayne, the former Balmain, NSW and Australian star, said his son was handling the pre-match pressure well.
"Mitchell came home when the Blues team broke camp for the weekend," Pearce said. "He was pretty relaxed, without being too relaxed. I'm not loading him up with advice. He's got a good coach, in Craig [Bellamy], to get him ready. Mitchell knows he's just got to keep doing what he's been doing."
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