Andrew Johns breaks down the consequences of over officiating in the NRL

With another week of penalties and strict officiating headlining the NRL, Blues legend Andrew Johns has broken down the consequences of an over refereed league.

Johns explained the calibre of play this season had been stifled by fastidious referees that bogged down matches in countless stoppages for penalties.

“The game is over refereed, it’s just so stop-start,” Johns said.

“Because of that stop-start nature, whether it be with penalties or video refs that go for two minutes, these players’ petrol tanks go right back up so you cannot break down defences.

“It’s really frustrating to watch. Teams cannot find their flow in attack.

“It’s the nit-picking penalties, it’s destroying the game.”

Johns called on referees to exercise autonomy while officiating rather than scrupulously penalising a semblance of an infringement, to avoid the decay of the game.

“Get back to managing the game and having a feel for the game, don’t be blowing penalties for the sake of blowing penalties, let the game flow.”

“If we get this rubbish when its Origin then it’ll just totally destroy it.

“This is killing it, absolutely killing it and it needs to change now.”

Experts across the board voiced their disappointment after 11 weeks of over-bearing officiating has seen some games stifled with upwards of 22 penalties.

15 sin bins last week took the yearly total to 49 which not even halfway into the season is already above last season’s total.

And while the NRL claimed it would fix the officiating with some ‘short term pain for long term gain’ Johns rejected these claims.

“We’ve achieved nothing.”

Johns’ grievances come as Penrith Panthers manager took aim at the NRL’s refereeing on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night.

“The refereeing is a farce,” Gould said.

“The people in charge haven’t got a clue about what they’re doing, and it’s destroying the game.”