- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
NRL football boss Graham Annesley has launched a blistering defence of his referees after the chief executive of the Warriors’ major sponsor alleged there was an unconscious bias against his team.
Jason Paris, CEO of telco One NZ, went on a social media rampage during the Warriors’ 18-6 Magic Round loss, accusing officials of “cheating of the highest order”.
The Warriors were perplexed by referee Todd Smith’s decision to overlook a possible high tackle on captain Tohu Harris from Panthers enforcer Moses Leota.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was also sent for a head injury assessment after being glanced in the face by a Tyrone Peachey swipe that went unpunished.
“Are you kidding me?” he wrote. “How biased 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.
“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.
“We are not chasing a one off premiership this year. It’s about building the foundations for multiple years of success that the @NRL referees cannot ignore. They are absolutely biased towards the clubs that have the legacy of success. That will be us soon.”
In response to a punter, he invoked last week’s game against the Roosters, which also saw a Bunker controversy when Sitili Tupouniua was not binned for an alleged shoulder charge, only to score moments later.
“It’s tough to watch,” wrote Paris. “For the last two weeks we have had players receiving clear & direct shots to the head, it was reviewed and cleared by the bunker.
“Last week against the roosters that same player then scored a try against us soon after (admittedly it was a great try) and then yesterday same thing at a crucial time and it would been a momentum swing for us, but instead we lose two players for ten minutes for very marginal calls. It’s the inconsistency that drives me crazy.”
Paris is the CEO of One New Zealand, the largest mobile phone network in the country and a title sponsor of the Warriors in 2023.
On Monday, Paris doubled down. In a tweet, he withdrew his allegation that the referees were “cheating”, but added: “However, I do believe that there is unconscious bias happening every week against the Warriors and it needs to be addressed.
“All we want is consistency, but we are not getting it. Take opinions out of it and analyse the video footage from past games and compare our decisions vrs (sic) other teams.
“I think it will find that we are being disadvantaged – then we can work out why and take steps to fix it.”
Hours later Annesley did just that at his weekly briefing and, while he didn’t elaborate on the Harris high shot, explained that the adjudications on Sifakula, Ford and Watene-Zelezniak were correct.
“I’ll be measured as much as a I can; I’m a bit hot under the collar over this stuff,” he said. “There is no comment that could be worse.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“The referees work very, very hard to do their best, not just at the NRL level but kids at the park on the weekend.
“The nature of the game is that there will be disagreement about the decisions that they make.
“We can question their decision making, but we can’t question their integrity.
“It questions the integrity of the entire NRL administration because we appoint these people.”
He said suggestions of a bias against the Warriors were laughable.
“I can go to eight losing clubs on any given week and they’ll all tell me they didn’t get the rub of the green,” he said.
“This is not something that’s peculiar to a team in New Zealand.”
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has also lashed Paris’ commentary and confirmed an investigation into his remarks was underway.
Warriors officials will meet with the organisation this week to review the decisions in question but it’s understood the NRL is uncertain how to proceed with any penalty, given Paris isn’t a member of the Warriors’ staff.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.