Parramatta say they have been overwhelmed by the support the club has received following coach Ricky Stuart’s tirade at the standard of NRL refereeing and are seriously considering appealing the breach notice handed down by the game’s governing body.
The Eels were hit with a $10,000 breach notice by the NRL on Monday over comments Stuart made in the post-game press conference after their 28-22 loss to Gold Coast on Sunday.
Stuart’s comments came on the back of a lopsided penalty count with the premiership-winning mentor claiming: “It’s only because they’re a very easy team to penalise.
“We don’t have any of the higher-profile players where you can milk the penalty.
“It’s bullshit. I just feel so sorry for the players.”
A furious Stuart also questioned whether referees Jason Robinson and Adam Gee were up to first-grade standard.
The former NSW and Australia coach let fly with a number of expletives, which were bleeped out on footage of the press conference on both the NRL and Eels websites.
The Eels issued a statement on Tuesday apologising for Stuart’s language but seemingly not for the comments he made and it is understood the club is weighing up its options.
“The Parramatta Eels and head coach Ricky Stuart wish to apologise for any offence taken from the language used in the post-match press conference,” the statement said.
“The NRL has informed the club that it will be given 10 days to respond to the notice. The club will use that time to review the breach before making any further comment.”
The response to Stuart’s comments led Parramatta chief executive Ken Edwards to post on his Twitter account: “overwhelmed by support for Rick & boys”.
The club has until Friday next week to respond to the breach notice.
A flood of penalties, 7-0 at one stage, went against Parramatta in the second half of the match they led 22-8 before the home side hit the lead with an Albert Kelly try in the 72nd minute.
The incident follows another refereeing controversy in Brisbane’s 12-10 win over North Queensland on Friday night and again thrusts the spotlight back onto referees boss Daniel Anderson and his officials.
Referees Ashley Klein and Phil Haines somehow allowed the Cowboys an eight-tackle set as they pressed the home side’s line late in the first half of the round-six Suncorp Stadium clash.
On Saturday, Anderson admitted his officials had erred.
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