With apologies to our friends in Old Blighty, you could be forgiven for thinking Mitch Moses was English.

Because the Eels captain sure spends a lot of time whinging on the NRL field these days.

The latest in a long list of examples was the Eels’ 22-20 golden point loss to the Wests Tigers in Round 6.

A dramatic, see-sawing contest was blighted by constant complaints from the 31-year-old halfback and a refusal to accept decisions from referee, Peter Gough. 

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Moses even reached out and patronisingly touched Gough in the first half—a complete no-go area for any player.

In one of many disputed moments during the match, Moses was particularly animated after being denied the chance to challenge when the ball came free after Eels prop Jack Williams was dragged down just centimetres short of the try line in the first-half.

Gough told Moses he never called ‘held’ and therefore the decision could not be challenged.

Farcically, the running dialogue between the two men then took an almost comedic turn when Moses even attempted to challenge the legality of the coin toss at the start of golden point after Api Koroisau had correctly called ‘tails’.

It begs the question, where do you draw the line?

Seeking a brief clarification on rulings and engaging in respectful dialogue between a captain and referee is part of the game, but non-stop complaints and pressuring of the whistle blower is not.

Is it any wonder junior referees cop so much vitriol from young players (and their parents) when they see their NRL idols on TV behaving like petulant brats?

Respect the whistle. Park your ego. Play the game, Mitch.

Fox League