Benji Marshall has teed off at the “outrageous” standard of the refereeing in the Tigers’ loss to the Cowboys on Saturday, declaring he will be demanding a ‘please explain’ from the NRL.
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The Tigers put up a big fight against North Queensland despite having nothing to play for, with coach Marshall opening his press conference by telling reporters he was “really proud” of his playing group.
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“I asked them to fight for everything, even though we’ve got nothing to play for in terms of the table and the semis. I thought they did a great job of that,” he said.
It explains why Marshall was so fired up as he took aim at the officiating, with the Tigers coach pointing out a number of controversial decisions he wants clarification on.
“I actually feel very sorry for them because the standard and the level of some of the refereeing decisions today was honestly outrageous,” Marshall said.
“I thought we copped the raw end of the stick all night.”
To start with, Marshall questioned the decision to take a try away from Jarome Luai after Apisai Koroisau was ruled to have swatted at the arm of Thomas Mikaele in the lead-up.
Mikaele looked to be running out of dummy-half instead of shaping to pass, which Marshall believed gave his skipper every right to play at the Cowboys forward’s arm and force the mistake.
“Just the inconsistencies around Api gets penalised when Jarome runs away and scores for playing at Tom Mikaele arm or stripping the ball. What’s he supposed to do?” Marshall said.
“He’s going to go and score if he doesn’t. We go down the other end, it’s an eight-point turnaround,” he added, referencing the penalty goal North Queensland kicked shortly after.
“In the second half, there’s so many things at the end of the game.”
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Luai try ruled out by bunker call | 00:46
The first contentious incident came in the 58th minute when a Scott Drinkwater kick bounced off the posts into the path of Jaxon Purdue for a try, with Marshall arguing halfback Jock Madden was taken out in the fight for the ball.
“They go and we contest the ball, we get penalised for contesting,” he said, referring to an obstruction call on Jeral Skelton a few minutes before the Purdue try.
“They go down, take Jock Madden out, same thing, we get no penalty and they score. That’s just a couple of things that actually happened out there, and I just feel sorry for the players because we’re fighting so hard to try and get the result.
“Take nothing away from the Cowboys, they earned their victory and got it, but I feel like I need to stand up for my players because the way they’re fighting, it’s just not right.”
Marshall then turned his attention towards a potential try to Terrell May which was taken off the board after Fonua Pole was ruled to have obstructed Heilum Luki.
“He runs a lead inside the four man on the guy inside Heilum Luki, who makes a defensive decision to come in, and Terrell goes outside him and the obstruction’s for the guy inside. Anyone who knows footy knows that’s a try and then it’s 20-16 with however long to go and we’re fighting back in it,” Marshall said.
“It just felt like that all night. I had my rant, I just don’t think it’s right.”
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Koroisau was pictured having a number of tense conversations with referee Grant Atkins, who at one point seemed to warn the Tigers skipper over his line of questioning.
“50-50 calls need to go one way or the other. I hope you’re not suggesting it’s going one way unfairly,” Atkins said.
Marshall backed his captain’s approach on the field, telling reporters Koroisau “did a great job in asking the questions that needed to be asked tonight”.
“From our point of view, when you’re at this part of the table that’s probably what happens but (that) doesn’t make it right,” he added.
“We’ll be sending in a few questions and asking for a please explain, but that’s irrelevant.
“What I am proud of is that the guys, no matter what, kept fighting for the whole night and showed spirit given there’s not actually anything to play for.”
The Tigers close out their season next week against the first-placed Panthers on Sunday afternoon.