NRL reacts angrily to accusations of bias against Warriors

Shaun Johnson talks to the referee during the loss to the Panthers
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Warriors will meet with NRL referee administrators this week to get clarification on calls after their loss to the defending champion Penrith Panthers.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley says it’s not unusual for clubs to do this and he’s happy to explain why some decisions went against the Warriors on Saturday.

However, Annesley is unimpressed with the response from the ceo of the club’s major sponsor One New Zealand, Jason Paris, who wrote on social media that the referees have a bias against the Warriors.

“We can question their decision making, I have no problem with that, we can’t question their integrity because not only does it question the integrity of the people on the field making the decisions and it questions the integrity of the entire NRL administration because we put these people on the field.

Paris has since withdrawn his accusation against NRL referees of “cheating of the highest order.”

However he believes there is a subconscious bias against the Warriors.

Annesley says a referees integrity can not be questioned.

“If anyone thinks that we would put someone on the field that we thought wasn’t doing other than the very best job they can do by being completely impartial as referees are required to be then that is also an attack on the administration of the game.”

Annesley says all losing clubs feel like they didn’t get the rub of the green.

“This is not something peculiar to a team in New Zealand, or anywhere else for that matter.

“Every club when they lose they all believe that the so-called 50/50 decisions didn’t go there way.”