Referee Ashely Klein caught unaware in Origin blue

MUCH has been said and written about Paul Gallen using Nate Myles's head as a punching bag on Wednesday night.

Ashley Klein

MUCH has been said and written about Paul Gallen using Nate Myles's head as a punching bag on Wednesday night.

In the light of day there seem to be two distinct camps.

Those who reckon Gallen is a grub who got a lot less than he deserved, and those who reckon Myles is a grub who got exactly what was coming to him.

Basically the two camps have pitched their tents on either side of the Tweed River.

It seems to me though that by lining up to throw mud at either Gallen or Myles, the rugby league public has let the third person involved in this fiasco escape out the back door and jump in a cab.

I speak of course of referee Ashley Klein.

What gives with this bloke?

If he has shown anything this season, it's that he doesn't have what it takes to referee at the top level. And I'm not just talking about Origin, I'm talking about first grade.

Time and again Klein has been called upon to make the big decision. Time and again he has shown all the backbone of a custard slice.

He totally stuffed up a potential penalty-try decision in the Cowboys-Broncos match in April, forgetting the tackle-count in the process, and has shown no idea whatsoever when it comes to on-field discipline.

It was exactly 23 days ago that I wrote a column in which I voiced my fears over the standard of refereeing in the NRL and the calamitous effect this could have on Origin.

At the time I wrote: "Referees are human and humans make errors. Even the best refs make mistakes, so what can you possibly expect from the ones that aspire to mediocrity? Take Ashley Klein. Please, take Ashley Klein.

"Born in Australia but brought up in England where he began his career, Klein came to prominence when his performance in charge of the 2008 World Cup final inspired then-Australian coach Ricky Stuart to deliver the best verbal spray since Bobby Fulton told Bill Harrigan he hoped he got run over by a cement truck on the way home.

"Klein, it must be said, has paid back the cost of his airfare from England many times over in terms of publicity in the past couple of weeks alone.

"He was the senior referee when Manly's Richie Fa'aoso was allowed to stay on the field after two blatant spear tackles on Greg Inglis.

"Then this week he was the video ref who deemed Jared Waerea-Hargreaves's high tackle on George Rose so serious as to demand instant dismissal.

"On neither of those occasions was the referee's decision crucial to the outcome of the match, but with State of Origin soon here, the stakes rise immeasurably."

Well, I hate to be an I-told-you-so. But I told you so.

Regardless of your view on whether the biff is a much loved part of Origin or a blight on the game, the fact is that what Gallen did to Myles on Wednesday night after hitting him in the head with a swinging arm, was against the laws of the game and Klein took no action. None. Zip. Nada.

Yes, he put him on report for the first offence. But he then called Gallen back and allowed himself to be played like a piano by the Blues captain.

He started off telling Gallen that he was a naughty boy and shouldn't punch people, and ended up saying that he would keep an eye on Myles, who according to Gallen was carrying out a rampage of knee twisting which was in danger of escalating to name calling and even Chinese burns.

From where I sat in front of my telly, it was obvious that Klein wasn't the man in charge, Gallen was. Klein was totally intimidated by Gallen's manner, and by the enormity of the stage on which he was appearing.

Quite simply, he isn't up to it and if he is the best man for the job, then the ARL Commission has got a huge problem on its hands.

Last year Klein, along with Luke Phillips, was one of the architects of the backroom mutiny aimed at knifing referee bosses Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper.

Seems like he now has the set-up up he wants and it hasn't improved his refereeing one iota.

If anything it's got worse.

Ricky Stuart got fined $10,000 for venting his spleen at Klein in 2008. If I was him I'd be asking for my money back.