Incompetent Referees Decide NRL Finals

Gallant Cowboys Robbed Of Prelim Finals Shot. 

What a joke the wonderful game of Rugby League has become in Australia. I don't know whether it is because some officials are on the take, if they are too stupid to see what is in front of them, if their bias toward NSW based teams is clouding their judgement or if our current rules of the game are just to complex for them to grasp.

All of the above possibilities crossed my mind as I watched with anger and alarm as the six game officials (Two video reffs, two linesman and two field reffs) conspired in their incompetence to deny The Cowboys a fair shot at the finals.
It started in the first few minutes of the game when a Manly player duped a gullible Shane Hayne into believing a cowboys player was in the tackle too long. The Manly player had purposely entangled his legs around the marker to milk the penalty. It worked, and as a result of the march down field, Manly scored their first try. I thought then "This guy will favour Manly all night." It is the way it turned out.

Then Clark and Simpkins up in the box, with input from Hayne with his "I think there was momentum" comment into his mic, got it totally wrong in awarding Jorge Taufua a try for placing the ball short of the line and then creating a double movement to place the ball over the line.There was no momentum and any person with half an ounce of knowledge about the game could not give the try. Even the normally NSW biased Channel Nine commentators agreed it should not have been a try.

And then the howler of all howlers. After viewing the replay from all angles, all of which showed clearly that Kiren Foran hit the ball forward from Johnathan Thurston's hands, these bumbling idiots managed to award a try to Michael Oldfield from a clear knock on. Not only I, but everyone else who saw the game, were totally dumb founded.
It went on all night with players allow to continue to play on after clearly knocking on or at least grounding the ball in the in goal. The mistake's are too numerous to mention.
There was one small incident that Manly supporters will say favoured The Cowboys and that is when Ashley Graham knocked the ball from Taufua's hands as he tried to play the ball. However this happens many times in a game and the rule of thumb has always been "Poor Ball Security". Another contentious rule that should be fixed. It's easy, enforce the rules consistently.
As I always say, "If you are going to winge, then provide a solution." Here are mine.
If it is difficult to attract talented people (Ex Players preferably) to the refereeing ranks, pay more money, then fine them severely when they get it wrong. Money always talks.
I hear people like Gus Gould wanting to get rid of technology for decision making. I say embrace it and perfect it to help with all decisions. If 6 reffs can't get it right, take it out of their hands.