‘Disgraceful’: Referee Ash Klein savaged over call that ‘ruined the game’

The NRL world has been left in utter disbelief over a brutal call that all but decided Friday night’s qualifying final.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson and captain James Tedesco have blasted referee Ashley Klein after a forward pass call effectively ended any chance of a comeback in their 30-10 qualifying final loss to the Panthers on Friday night.

A near perfect first half saw the Panthers race out to a 24-0 lead at halftime, but the Roosters responded early in the second half.

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Given the message from Robinson to move on from the first half as quickly as possible, it was clear the Roosters were a different team in the second half.

Within eight minutes, the Roosters had tries to Joseph Sua’ali’i and James Tedesco to cut the scoreline to 24-10 with 32 minutes still left to play.

The Roosters looked to have cut it even further 17 minutes from full-time after some quick hands saw Daniel Tupou pass back to Tedesco, who quickly hit Sua’ali’i on the outside with no Panthers in front of him.

But referee Ashley Klein called it forward, leaving the Roosters players in disbelief.

Sua’ali’i would have had his choice of where to put the ball down — meaning it likely would have been 24-16 with 15 or 16 minutes remaining.

Look how far he caught it behind him. Photo: Fox Sports

Tedesco was in disbelief. Photo: Fox Sports

The Roosters couldn’t believe the call and on the replay, the commentators agreed.

“That’s tough,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.

“They’ve had some tough calls go against them in this second half the Roosters,” Corey Parker agreed.

On Nine, Andrew Johns said it “looks flat”, adding “you’ve got to back the judgement of the referee there”.

However, Cameron Smith called it a “50-50 call”.

While Robinson didn’t want to blame the game on that moment, he said he was “disappointed” believing his side “had another try there that should have been a try”.

“I didn’t think it was forward,” Robinson said. “I don’t think anyone thought it was forward except for the ref.

“Even looking at the replays and the angle of the pass, that’s a big call at that moment and you can’t get that wrong.”

Tedesco agreed, claiming it changed the game.

“I didn’t think it was forward,” he said.

“We could have scored off the back of it, it could have been a different contest. I didn’t agree with the whistle.”

The Roosters weren't happy. Photo: Fox Sports

After the match, Brad Fittler agreed that if the Roosters scored there, it would have been “a completely different game”.

However, speaking after the press conference, Cooper Cronk said he thought it wasn’t a forward pass, but added “those are just moments in the game you have to move on from.”

Fans were fuming over the decision, claiming the Roosters were “robbed of an 8 point margin”.

Another labelled it “disgraceful”, while a third called it “one of the worst forward pass calls ever”.

Another said the referee had “effectively ruined the game”.

WWOS’ The Mole tweeted “The Roosters just got Klein-ed.”

The Panthers ultimately put the game away with a try eight minutes from full-time, but it would have been a grandstand finish if the Roosters had scored through Sua’ali’i.

The result means the three-time defending premier Panthers are through to a fifth straight preliminary final, while the Roosters will face the winner of Saturday’s Bulldogs-Sea Eagles elimination final.

Originally published as ‘Disgraceful’: Referee Ash Klein savaged over call that ‘ruined the game’