Shaun Johnson of the Warriors complains to referee Chris Butler during the round nine NRL match against the Roosters. Photo / Getty
One NZ CEO Jason Paris caused a major stir over the weekend after he accused NRL referees of cheating against the Warriors.
Following the Warriors’ 18-6 loss to the Penrith Panthers over the weekend, a game where a number of controversial refereeing decisions were made, Paris took to social media saying calls against the club were “cheating of the highest order”.
However, he soon walked back the “cheating” claim, but doubled down by adding “there is unconscious bias happening every week against the Warriors and it needs to be addressed”.
NRL boss Andrew Abdo fired back declaring that Paris questioning the referees’ integrity is “completely unacceptable”, while the NRL referees’ union said it was considering taking legal action.
While Paris’ comments have been slammed by many across the NRL as “appalling”, does the One NZ boss have a point about some calls going against the Warriors?
We take a look at some of the controversial decisions the Warriors have been up against in recent weeks, and let you be the judge.
Demitric Sifakula sin-binned for striking, Latrell Mitchell let off for the same offence
With just 14 minutes left in the game, Warriors forward Demitric Sifakula was sin-binned for a “striking” action against Panthers half Nathan Cleary. It was claimed he used a closed fist against Cleary’s head after an altercation in a tackle. Sifakula was given his marching orders. He did connect with Cleary’s head, but a closed fist was never used.
In the end, Sifakula wasn’t charged by the match review committee, highlighting the controversial nature of the decision. It was an incident that has been labelled a “double standard” after Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell got away with the same offence against Melbourne Storm hooker Harry Grant in the same round just a day later.
Mitchell wasn’t penalised after lashing out and twice “pushing” the head of Grant after a tackle by the hooker.The fullback, who also extended his knee into Grant when making the catch, took umbrage to the tackle and twice struck the Queensland representative with an open palm.
The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley believes referees “are petrified” of Mitchell.
Tohu Harris receives stiff arm to the head - no penalty given
Warriors skipper Tohu Harris was on the receiving end of a high tackle from Moses Leota in the second half of the Warriors’ loss to the Panthers.
Footage shows Leota’s arm forcibly striking Harris’ chin, which left Harris needing attention on the ground. The referee blew time off to allow the bunker to take a look at the footage.
Fox League commentator Warren Smith said Leota “might have a problem here.” However, the bunker cleared any foul play and the referee blew time back on and allowed the game to continue.
In the post-match press conference, Warriors coach Andrew Webster was asked about the incident. He laughed before saying “yeah I saw it” and then had a little crack at both the match officials’ decision and the journalists in the post-game press conference.
”I get asked this every week, I’m going to take a hat around and get you guys to pay for my fine — if you all want to chip in I’ll give you whatever you want,” Webster joked.
Tupouniua shoulder charge missed, Roosters score next set
Roosters back rower Sitili Tupouniua flew into a tackle on Marcelo Montoya where he dropped his left shoulder into the player, failing to wrap his arms around the ball carrier.
Following an error seconds later, a replay of the shoulder charge was shown on screen. Despite a clear and obvious shoulder charge, the bunker cleared it, which caused Mt Smart to erupt in anger.
The commentator could be heard saying: “How is that not a penalty?”
Instead of the Warriors receiving a penalty, the Roosters retained possession and hooker Brandon Smith scored the very next set, turning an eight-point lead into a 14 points and ending any chance of a Warriors comeback.
James Tedesco clear knock on ignored
With 22 minutes left in the game, Roosters fullback James Tedesco was 20 metres out from the Warriors’ line when he appeared to drop the ball cold. However, the referee ruled play on.
A replay showed the ball made contact with the ground before being dragged along the grass in a forward motion as Tedesco scooped the ball up to play on.
It allowed the Roosters to maintain field possession and apply further pressure to the Warriors.
Just minutes later, the controversial Tupounuia incident occurred which put the nail in the coffin for the Warriors.
Dylan Walker binned for head slam, refs miss head slam on Warriors player
@justsportseditz how you gonna send walker for that "head slam"but then you have the storms deliberately doing jujitsu and just get penalised 🤦♂️ #penaltystorm #nrl #reff #rigged #nzwarriors #robbed #fyp
♬ Edit Phonk (Slowed) - Bgnzinho
Warriors utility Dylan Walker was sin-binned for a head slam on Storm back rower Eliesa Katoa.
Walker was sent to the bin for driving Katoa’s head into the ground. He later successfully defended the charge at a judiciary and was let off.
At the time, coach Webster said: “Dylan was taking him to the ground and unfortunately, his head slammed and Dylan came over the top ... Because they wanted to check it, I looked and thought ‘he’s sweet’.
“I wanted to have a good look at it, and watched the replay and thought ‘awesome’. Then I started turning to talk about the next part to the staff and when I turned around, they gave him 10 [in the bin].
“I just initially thought it was a really good tackle driving him to the ground, I didn’t see any arm around his head.
“I don’t know what you guys think, but I didn’t see him slamming his head to the ground, I didn’t see that.”
To make matters worse, Storm prop Christian Welch was later in the game seen with his arms wrapped around Dalin Watene-Zelezniak’s head before driving him into the ground.
It sparked a reaction from the Warriors winger, but in contrast to the decision on Walker, the referee waved play on.
Referee ignores Josh King obstruction, Storm score in same set
@nrlonnine Were the Warriors dudded on Anzac Day? 🤔 #9WWOS #NRL
♬ original sound - NRL on Nine - NRL on Nine
Late in the game, Storm lock Josh King was seen standing in the Warriors’ defensive line obstructing play by denying hooker Freddy Lussick a genuine chance to close a gap and make a tackle on Justin Olam.
Olam made a crucial linebreak because of it, breaking into the Warriors’ half before the Storm scored at the back end of the set.
League great Brad Fittler said post-match: “Here’s a penalty [for the Warriors]. King’s walking back onside, walks straight into the New Zealand line, and Freddy Lussick is just obstructed.
“That’s just a penalty. The referee was right in line with it. King gets in the line of the defence and then Lussick goes to go for Justin Olam and would have got him.
“And then Olam runs 40m up the road and they score on the end of that set of six.”
League legend Andrew Johns said there was a penalty in the Roosters v Dragons game that was given, that wasn’t awarded to the Warriors.
Fittler added “that was a bad ruling”.
Remis Smith knock on ignored, try awarded
With 23 minutes left and the Warriors up 22-18, the Storm put in a cross-field kick on the last tackle. Just metres out from the line Storm back Remis Smith contested the ball, with his hand clearing knocking the ball forward. The referee missed it, waved play on, and fullback Nick Meaney picked up the scraps and dived over to level the scores.
The referee sent the on-field decision to the bunker as a try. Replays clearly show Smith’s hand, with tape on it, touch the ball forward, which should have constituted a knock-on. Either it should have been ruled as Warriors ball, or a repeat set for the Storm if it was deemed a Warriors player made the first contact.
Neither of those occurred and the bunker awarded a try. The Storm went on to win 30-22.
Marata Niukore sin-binned for hip drop despite no applied pressure on legs
@moregeorge1 Not a Warriors fan , but this is a ridiculous call #nrl #sharksvswarriors
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Hip-drops have been a large talking point in the NRL, with referees putting the tackle technique under the microscope.
Players have admitted they don’t know how the referee is going to rule on hip-drops on any given day.
With just seconds remaining in the first half, Warriors forward Marata Niukore was sent to the bin for a hip-drop on Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai.
Niukore’s initial point of contact was on the side of Talakai, with the Warriors forward appearing to not apply any pressure on Talakai’s lower legs, instead, falling off the back of the tackle. The decision left Fox League commentators Shane Flanagan and Andrew Voss stunned after replays showed a relatively straightforward tackle in the 39th minute.
“Can’t support it,” Voss said. “I can’t support it either, oh and now a sin bin,” Flanagan responded.
“Have you seen the size of Talakai, how would you try and tackle him from behind? How would you?” Voss said.
“I don’t think he tried to tackle him from behind. He actually hit him in the front and the power of Talakai pushed him around to the side and there was no intention for hip drop for me,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan then went one step further and said Niukore should not have even been penalised.
“It was just a powerful run by Talakai, he gets the defender off to the side, there’s no deliberate action to put weight on the back of the leg, that’s just the way football is sometimes, especially with a powerful runner like Talakai,” he said.
“Shouldn’t even have been a penalty for mine.”
Corey Parker agreed Niukore could count himself unlucky.
“Absolutely it was a tough call. He made contact, he was pushed to the side and it was deemed to be a hip drop. I don’t see where he’s supposed to go in that instance, he was just doing his best to hang on.”
On the surface, the Warriors draw for the 2025 season is quite kind