New South Wales coach Brad Fittler will seek answers from the NRL’s referees boss after claiming several infringements pivotal to the result in State of Origin I were missed to Queensland’s benefit.
Fittler was filthy that Queensland was able to get its way at the ruck without consequence and suggested after the Blues’ 16-10 loss that he’d present a list of issues to Jared Maxwell.
The Blues mentor made it clear that he was irritated with referee Ashley Klein, who on Wednesday night officiated his first Origin match since game three of the 2019 series.
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Fittler not only took exception to Queensland’s wrestling, but two Maroons tries.
Daly Cherry-Evans was awarded a try in the 49th minute despite Junior Paulo being held back in a scrum, before Valentine Holmes scored a four-pointer five minutes later on the back of a contentious Kalyn Ponga pass.
“I think playing off slow rucks is a pretty hard thing to do. I think they did a good job. They got in tight and held on, and Ashley didn’t want to give penalties away,” Fittler said in his post-match press conference.
“I think we got a penalty with 17 minutes to go – was the first penalty.
“They did a great job. They worked hard there and they definitely won the ruck.
“We should have done a better job. We should have held them down longer. Simple.
“It will be interesting, the (referees’) reports.
“I thought the Junior Paulo one, getting held in the scrum, as well. It will be interesting to speak to (referees boss) Jared about the (Ponga) ball going forward and the Junior Paulo one, as well.
“But at the end of the day I don’t know if that made the difference in the game.”
NSW captain James Tedesco was also frustrated with the ruck speed, but he didn’t lump blame on the referee.
The Blues fullback pointed out the dangerous work around the ruck of Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Daly Cherry-Evans, and he indicated that NSW had faltered in that area.
“They kind of played how we wanted to play… Munster and Grant getting off the quick ruck, and Cherry-Evans… they were playing off the back of that,” Tedesco said.
“I felt like, as Freddy said, they dominated our ruck and created opportunities, and we didn’t do enough of that.
“It’s hard to tell… there were no penalties so they were probably holding us down for that extra second, and didn’t allow us to free the ruck and play with that freedom that we wanted to. We just didn’t have much space or quick rucks to play on the back of.”
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