Warriors coach Andrew Webster remains firm in his sharp criticism of the NRL bunker, following an incident that led to an apology from NRL referees boss Graham Annesley. The controversy erupted after Stephen Crichton was handed a two-match suspension for a dangerous shoulder hit on Warriors centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck during last Friday’s match against the Bulldogs. Tuivasa-Sheck, who suffered a concussion from the impact, was forced to leave the field, prematurely ending his season.
Annesley admitted that a “judgement error” had been made, but Webster was not satisfied, emphasizing the need for accountability within the NRL. He pointed out that players and coaches are held accountable for their mistakes, and the same should apply to officials to reduce such errors. Webster argued that the lack of accountability and transparency only leads to frustration among teams and fans.
While Webster was careful not to use the incident as an excuse, he expressed concern over the increasing number of questionable decisions that seem to be going against the Warriors. He noted that the team has avoided playing the victim but admitted that it feels like they are an easy target. Despite these frustrations, Webster acknowledged that the Warriors’ failure to make the playoffs was ultimately due to their poor performance on the field.
Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad also voiced his concern, describing the sight of Tuivasa-Sheck lying injured as frightening, noting that he had never seen him go down with a head injury like that. Webster concluded by saying that the lack of clarity regarding head contact rules is causing widespread frustration, and clearer guidelines are necessary for everyone to move forward.
