Frustrated O’Brien Slams ‘Ridiculous’ Refereeing in Knights’ Heartbreaking Loss

Newcastle Knights coach Adam O’Brien has lashed out at the refereeing decisions that he believes played a crucial role in his side’s golden point loss to the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday. The 19-18 defeat not only put a significant dent in Newcastle’s finals hopes but also left O’Brien fuming over several contentious calls, particularly the sin-binning of halfback Phoenix Crossland right on halftime.

The incident occurred in the dying moments of the first half, with referee Gerard Sutton ruling that Crossland had committed a professional foul by holding down a Cronulla player too long, preventing a quick play-the-ball. The decision left Newcastle temporarily down to 12 men as they fought to keep their season alive.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, O’Brien was blunt in his criticism, stating he’d be “shocked if anyone agrees with it.” The Knights coach argued that the sin-bin decision was harsh given the context of the game.

“It was the third infringement of the half,” O’Brien said. “We had one for offside at a scrum, which happens all the time, and only one for slowing the ruck down. On the third one, he [Sutton] puts a bloke in the bin. Is that a harsh standard? I haven’t seen that all year.”

O’Brien expressed his frustration at what he saw as inconsistency in refereeing standards, emphasising that his side was fighting to stay in the competition and deserved a fair shot.

Despite the setback, the Knights showed grit by scoring through Dane Gagai while they were a man down and managed to hold the Sharks scoreless during Crossland’s absence. However, the physical toll of playing with a reduced squad proved costly as the game wore on.

The sin-bin wasn’t the only decision that drew O’Brien’s ire. Late in the match, both the Knights and Sharks had potential game-winning field goals disallowed for illegal blocking. O’Brien was adamant that both field goals should have been allowed, explaining that his understanding of the rules around blocking was consistent with how the plays unfolded.

“They [the NRL] told us that as long as the player is in an onside position, it’s legal. In our case, Mat Croker was in that position. But [NRL Head of Football] Graham Annesley will find a way to dress it up,” O’Brien said.

Cronulla’s Dan Atkinson eventually slotted the match-winning field goal in golden point, securing a crucial victory that keeps the Sharks in the top four. The loss leaves Newcastle’s finals hopes hanging by a thread, with the Knights needing a string of favourable results to sneak into the top eight.

Game Recap:

• The Sharks took an early 10-0 lead, but the Knights clawed back to lead 12-10 at halftime, despite being reduced to 12 men.
• Both sides had field goals disallowed for illegal blocking late in regulation time.
• Dane Gagai’s try while the Knights were down a player kept them in the contest, but Ronaldo Mulitalo’s late try and Atkinson’s golden point heroics sealed the Sharks’ win.
• O’Brien was critical of the consistency in refereeing and felt his team was unfairly punished in key moments.

As the Knights reflect on a season marred by close losses and frustrating calls, their finals destiny is now out of their hands. For Cronulla, the win solidifies their position in the top four and sets them up for a strong run into the playoffs.