Eels leader hits out at the NRL saying his side are “easy to penalise”
Parramatta Eels coach Ricky Stuart has been slapped with a $10,000 fine by the NRL after going on a incredible seven-minute long rant directed at the game’s officials.
Speaking to the media after 29-22 loss to the Gold Coast Titans, Stuart accused refs Adam Gee and Jason Robinson as being overly critical of his side.
In the game the Eels looked to be cruising with a 14-point lead before finishing on the wrong side of a 8-1 penalty count in the second half.
“It’s only because they’re a very easy team to penalise,” Stuart said.
“We don’t have any of the higher-profile players where you can milk the penalty.
“It’s bulls***. I just feel so sorry for the players.
“I really don’t know where Daniel Anderson and these referees are taking the game. There are referees there that are interpreting a different game of football to other referees.”
Stuart added his side’s senior players Reni Maitua and Jarryd Hayne are not able to express their concerns regarding calls made by officials on the field.
“They were actual penalties, I’m not blowing up about that, but there’s no way they were that clean,” he said.
“It’s just wrong. It was unfair tonight and I really feel sorry for the players. That out there tonight was very, very obvious.
“Jarryd and Reni, they go to the referee, they ask for an explanation and they get an explanation in friggen Spanish. There’s no explanation to a lot of the actual rulings.
“The game is turning into a surrender, dive on the ground, play the ball, let’s go again. It’s getting into the Super League era. It’s going backwards.”
General Manager of Football Operations Nathan McGuirk said clubs and coaches were allowed to express their opinions on the referees and their decisions.
However, McGuirk believed the comments made by Stuart crossed a line that most coaches were aware off and issued the fine accordingly.
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