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MELBOURNE - Rival coaches Craig Bellamy and Michael Hagan continued to pile the pressure on referee Tony Archer with tit-for-tat barbs before their National Rugby League (NRL) preliminary final at Telstra Dome today.
Following comments from Bellamy that Parramatta were the best `milkers' of penalties in the NRL, Hagan said his opposite number had little to complain about given their favourable treatment they had received from whistleblowers.
"I've done a bit of research and I think Melbourne have won 10 of 13 penalty counts at Olympic Park this year," Hagan said.
"So they've obviously got a very good record at home and we're just thankful we're not playing at Olympic Park.
"It doesn't bother me, I'm very confident with the way we play and very confident with Tony Archer as referee and we haven't had any issues with him in the past and I don't expect to have any issues."
Bellamy claimed the Eels, who received a league-best 209 penalties in their favour this season, were the kings of milking penalties.
Rookie winger Krisnan Inu, in particular, came under heavy fire, with Bellamy claiming the young New Zealander had learnt the art of drawing a penalty "pretty quickly".
"I just know I've seen those stats (on how many penalties the Eels get) and they get more than anybody else," Bellamy said.
"There's a couple of reasons why I suppose."
Eels skipper Nathan Cayless played down the gamesmanship between the coaches, but refuted claims Parramatta deliberately tried to con the referee.
Hookers PJ Marsh and Mark Riddell were brilliant at exploiting the Bulldogs around the ruck in last weekend's semifinal win, with the Bulldogs penalised on a number of occasions for having their markers offside.
"I don't know about milking them, the penalties we've been given this year we've certainly deserved them," Cayless said.
"When you play the ball fast and play open attacking football obviously defending team is going to try to slow you down.
"That's what we've been able to do well the last couple of weeks which is generate good quick play the balls and generate exciting football which I think everyone likes to see."
While Hagan and Bellamy tried their best to get some sort of advantage over the referee, they also made sure they left a good final impression, just in case Archer was one to indulge in himself with a newspaper over his morning cup of coffee.
"Tony's obviously the No 1-ranked referee at the moment so ... he'll do a good job, he's done a good job all year," Bellamy said.
Hagan was just as lavish in his praise.
"We are more than happy with Tony Archer as referee," he said.
"I think he's been the best referee this year and I would think he would be a big chance of being the referee next week as well."
- AAP
