NRL: Coaches warned off referee talk

Des Hasler will have to bite his tongue on the topic of referees this season. Photo / Getty

No comment. No comment. No comment.

That's all you might hear this season from Des Hasler after the NRL issued a pre-season edict to clubs banning coaches from talking about referees in their post-match media conferences.

"Shhhhhh, shhhhh, are you talking about referees?" said Canterbury coach Hasler when asked about the move at training on Wednesday.

"Sorry no comment. And I want it documented that you (the media) mentioned referees. Because I don't want a fine. You can't go near it. You can't talk about referees."

An often strident critic of the performance of referees, sometimes seemingly as a tactic to distract attention from his team's performance, Hasler said he would attempt to avoid the topic all season.

"I think they (the NRL) said they are going to be 'pragmatic and reasonable' about it. Until I know what pragmatic and reasonable means I am not saying a word about referees. I love them," Hasler said.

"I think you blokes (the media) will be out of a job, though. You will have nothing to talk about. It will only go for a minute the post-match conference. That will suit me more than it will suit you.

"(Referees boss) Tony (Archer) might be busy Monday morning."

Bulldogs prop Aidan Tolman predicted Hasler might have to watch what he says this season.

"I suppose he will, he definitely says what he thinks and that is the way we like it," Tolman said. "Sometimes it gets frustrating on the field when you think referees are doing the wrong thing by you, but that is just the biased opinion sometimes.

"But if that's the rules I guess we will have to stick by it."

-AAP