For the second time this season Sean Hampstead has been stood down following a video refereeing howler.
The experienced whistle-blower was at fault for incorrectly awarding Canterbury’s Jonathan Wright a try in Friday night’s 23-22 golden point victory over Wests Tigers – despite a clear obstruction in the lead-up.
NRL referees boss Bill Harrigan explained that Hampstead being stood down on Tuesday was simply in line with the approach that has been taken all season.
Harrigan and fellow referees boss Stuart Raper have taken a hardline approach to errors all year, dumping video referee Phil Cooley, referee Jared Maxwell and touch judge Jason Walsh for errors early in the season.
It is the second time Hampstead has been dumped this season – the first following his decision to award a controversial try to Queensland’s Greg Inglis in State of Origin one.
“(He has been) stood down and that’s the policy that Stuart Raper and I have had all year,” Harrigan said.
“When a referee or a video referee makes a mistake which impacts on the result of the game we’ve always stood them down and that’s happened in this case as well.”
On Monday Harrigan explained Hampstead’s error in awarding the Wright try.
“Unfortunately we got this decision wrong,” Harrigan said.
“What you can’t do is when the decoy player runs into the defensive line, you can’t run behind him and then gain an advantage by a run, pass or kick.
“(Frank) Pritchard runs behind the decoy runner and Liam Fulton is tackling him, but Pritchard actually offloads the ball.
“He has gained an advantage by the pass and that is why the try shouldn’t have been allowed.”
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