Michael Burgess: Perfect Aussies are untouchable

Kangaroos have the "Michael Jordan effect". Photo / AP

The opening match provided another reminder of why the Kangaroos will be so hard to beat at this Rugby League World Cup and it's nothing to do with the talents of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk or Billy Slater.

Australia, as has happened so often down the years, seemed to get most of the 50-50 calls go their way.

And in the second half the men in green and gold played seemingly perfect football, not being penalised once in the entire 40 minutes.

Extraordinary, especially in the modern game.

So what is happening?

No one is saying that the match officials are intentionally biased, and you can't question Matt Cecchin's professionalism.

Instead, it's down to what was once coined the "Michael Jordan effect".

Jordan, who was unquestionably the best basketball player of all time, also seemed to transfix umpires into a stupor.

Across his career he was never called for travelling, and hardly chalked up any fouls.

The officials saw the iconic No23 and it was like they were looking at Medusa; they just froze.

Maybe they couldn't imagine that Jordan would infringe, or were too busy watching him play.

We saw something similar on Friday night. Australia would have still prevailed - and were the better team - but got an amazing amount of hometown calls. In almost every situation, with or without the ball, they got the benefit of the doubt.

The worst were crucial penalties against England in each half, which led directly to an Australian try and penalty goal, but there were many more.

Jermaine McGillvary made a slashing break late in the first half, before being hauled in by several Australian defenders.

But not only was he blatantly held down, but on the next play Kangaroos five-eighth Michael Morgan was way offside as he tackled the next English runner.

Wade Graham got away with plenty when he came on, then, appeared to drop the ball in the tackle, but Cecchin ruled a strip.

Several English fifth tackle kicks were mysteriously judged to be not played at by the officials.

And Smith seemed to be invisible; no matter how long he held on, or interfered in the play-the-ball (and admittedly Smith is a master of knowing the limits) he never strayed outside the law.

Really?

What is more likely is that Cecchin, like many referees, subconsciously gives the Kangaroos skipper much more leeway just because of who he is.

And it's been happening, to different degrees, for decades, right back to the last World Cup game on New Zealand soil in 1988 at Eden Park. Sure the Kiwis imploded on that day, but they weren't helped by an erratic display by Graham Ennui, who seemed star struck by being in the presence of Wally Lewis, Wayne Pearce and Allan Langer.

Perhaps the Kangaroos have earned the right to some favourable treatment, given their wonderful record over the years, but surely they don't need it.