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The NRL have hit back after the boss of the Warriors’ naming rights sponsor accused referees of ‘cheating’ against the Warriors.
Jason Paris, chief executive of One NZ, described decisions against the club as “cheating of the highest order” on social media during the side’s 18-6 loss to the Penrith Panthers on Saturday night.
The NRL is aware of the comments and will be reviewing them closely, and league chief executive Andrew Abdo said “questioning their integrity is completely unacceptable”.
“We will do everything possible to protect our match officials and the game.
“We are currently exploring all our options and will take whatever steps we believe are necessary to defend them.”
The Warriors only conceded two penalties more than the Panthers in the loss, but gave away four ruck infringements to one and had two players sin-binned in the second half of the contest.
In his assessment of the officiating, Paris wrote: “Are you kidding me? How biased are are the @NRL bunker and referees against the @NZWarriors? Have they got money on them to lose? It’s like we are permanently against 14 on the field and they want us to play with 12.”
In response to a fan who expressed similar sentiments, he added: “It’s absolutely outrageous and so incredibly frustrating. Imagine how the team feel - three games in 11 days and then this rubbish. Cheating of the highest order.”
On Monday, Paris took to Twitter to clarify his initial tweet, saying he doesn’t believe NRL referees are cheating but still thinks there is “unconscious bias” against the Warriors.
“A bit of interest in my support for the mighty @NZWarriors. Just to clear things up - I do not think the @NRL referees are cheating. They come to work everyday to do their best job for the game. My comments were made in the heat of the moment as a passionate fan.
“However, I do believe that there is unconscious bias happening every week against the Warriors & it needs to be addressed. All we want is consistency, but we are not getting it. Take opinions out of it & analyse the video footage from past games & compare our decisions vrs other teams. I think it will find that we are being disadvantaged - then we can work out why & take steps to fix it.
“We will always back our team.”
One NZ chief executive Jason Paris. Photo / Dean Purcell
Warriors coach Andrew Webster hinted at his disappointment with the referees’ performance, joking he would outline his true thoughts if the media helped to pay for any fine that could result.
“I’m going to take a hat around and get you guys to pay for my fine,” Webster said. “If you all want to chip in, I’ll give you whatever you want.”
In particular, Webster wasn’t happy with Demitric Sifakula being sent to the sin bin for a shove on Nathan Cleary while the Panthers went unpunished for hits that left Dallin Watene-Zelezniak needing a head injury assessment.
“The Demitric one, I feel like his hand is open, like he’s pushing him in the face,” Webster said. “You see Nathan’s face move, but it’s like going to push him and then the next thing he’s in the bin.
“Dallin has got a swollen face and a sore nose. No one has done that on purpose, yet he goes to the HIA and nothing happens. Things like that, I’m not understanding at the moment.”
Coaches have been fined over the past few years for their complaints about NRL refereeing, with Trent Robinson and Ivan Cleary both fined $20,000 in August 2021, and Des Hasler fined $25,000 last May.
