Australian referees

[oliverfennell]

Discuss.

[Beltane]

One old-time referee: Joe Wallis, whom I've only seen in newsreel footage, would be quickly out of favour in today's more awareness of a fighter's health inside the ring.

From the footage I've seen, Joe prolonged some unequal bouts, resulting in bad defeats and knockdowns. In the 1949 Australian lightweight title-fight, in which Archie Kemp died after an eleventh-round knockout by Jack Hassen, neither the police officers supervising the event nor Wallis intervened to stop the punishment.

Joe claimed that, although both boxers had been 'a bit dazed', a 'referee has to decide these things in the ring, and at the moment . . . If a referee stops a contest prematurely he comes in for hot criticism'. In June 1950 the police ordered him to stop a fight in which Freddie Dawson had knocked Hassen down three times. Ill health and some controversial decisions caused his retirement.

[AntonS]

Without personal Insurance (Professional Indemnity) reffing is an extremely dangerous job

[Sweet P]

What did you want to know Oliver?

We have some good refs and some bad ones. Like every country.

[oliverfennell]

One old-time referee: Joe Wallis, whom I've only seen in newsreel footage, would be quickly out of favour in today's more awareness of a fighter's health inside the ring.

From the footage I've seen, Joe prolonged some unequal bouts, resulting in bad defeats and knockdowns. In the 1949 Australian lightweight title-fight, in which Archie Kemp died after an eleventh-round knockout by Jack Hassen, neither the police officers supervising the event nor Wallis intervened to stop the punishment.

Joe claimed that, although both boxers had been 'a bit dazed', a 'referee has to decide these things in the ring, and at the moment . . . If a referee stops a contest prematurely he comes in for hot criticism'. In June 1950 the police ordered him to stop a fight in which Freddie Dawson had knocked Hassen down three times. Ill health and some controversial decisions caused his retirement.

Sounds like the guy who reffed Mundine-Clottey.

[oliverfennell]

What did you want to know Oliver?

We have some good refs and some bad ones. Like every country.

Seen some especially poor refereeing in recent weeks. The guy in the Mundine fight, one who reffed the Last Man Standing tournament ("yeah, he's concussed, I'm disqualifying him" among other bizarre decisions), and the one who lets fighters sit in their own corners while recovering from a low blow and then screeches and swears at someone questioning this.

[Sweet P]

Like I said, we have some good ones and some bad ones.
It seems lately there has been a lot of ordinary performances. And there is no place to hide when it's on TV.

[AntonS]

mills lane was probably the best ref around in his time

Which 2 or 3 would you consider the best atm?

[Sweet P]

mills lane was probably the best ref around in his time

Which 2 or 3 would you consider the best atm?

In my opinion. Best in the business at the moment are.

Pat Russell
Kenny Bayliss
Steve Smoger


Best in Aus in no particular order
Gary Ingraham
Phil Austin
Brad Vocale
Derek Milham

[bogan whisperer]

Like boxers we've got good ones and not so good ones.

Austin and Vocale usually do a good job.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Vocale's one of the best I've seen

[oliverfennell]

That ref in Mundine-Clottey did two things that nobody had ever achieved before - made people feel sorry for Choc, and even cheer him!

[p4p1]

That ref in Mundine-Clottey did two things that nobody had ever achieved before - made people feel sorry for Choc, and even cheer him!

I really thought that ref was horrible.

[PaddyGold]

Vocale's one of the best I've seen

Me too. Communicative. Sensible. Personable.

[dberry]

You'd all be glad I'm not a ref, my instructions would be "fvck a good clean fight, these people have come to see blood, fvck each other up or you get disqualified!"

[bogan whisperer]

Vocale's one of the best I've seen

Yep