Ricky McFarlane banished to NSW Cup after his Raiders blunder while Gerard Sutton hits the Gold Coast

RICKY McFarlane was banished to park footy in Cessnock following his blunder in the Sharks-Raiders game while head referee Gerard Sutton lives it up on the Gold Coast

After last weekend's error in the NRL game between Canberra and Cronulla, touch judge Ricky McFarlane was exiled yesterday to run the line in the NSW Cup game between Newcastle and Wentworthville at Cessnock Sports Ground. Picture by Peter Lorimer. After last weekend's blatant error in the NRL game between Canberra and Cronulla, touch judge Ricky McFarlane was exiled yesterday to run the line in the NSW Cup game between Newcastle and Wentworthville at Cessnock Sports Ground. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

ONE gets banished to Cessnock while the other gets an all-expenses paid trip to the Gold Coast.

This could surely only happen in the NRL refereeing department with the two match officials involved in the biggest refereeing stuff-up of the season at Shark Park last weekend.

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Gerard Sutton, brother of referees boss Bernie Sutton, flew into Coolangatta on Saturday to enjoy a beautiful 23 degree day on the glitter strip.

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He’ll work Sunday afternoon’s Titans v Warriors game at CBUS Super Stadium.

Sutton erred by not stopping the game or asking the bunker to review it yet held his first grade position and got the weekend away to one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations. Touch judge Rickey McFarlane was not so lucky.

He finished up running the sidelines of a reserve grade game in Cessnock Saturday afternoon in front of about 80 diehard fans.

McFarlane ran the line in reserve grade.

A three-hour drive from home to run the line for an Intrust Super Premiership game.

Wentworthville v Newcastle is a huge comedown from last Friday night’s Sharks-Raiders game when he mistakenly raised his flag then put it straight back down.

McFarlane looked like anything but an NRL touch judge. “He had a really nervous look about him,” said our photographer Peter Lorimer.

“You could see it. He kept wiping his brow and looked to be struggling a bit.”

It has been a tough week with all the scrutiny of his error last weekend. McFarlane was so distressed after his blunder that he couldn’t even drive his car last weekend.

It was one of the worst blunders of the season.

Sources have also revealed McFarlane broke down and wept in the referees change rooms at Shark Park after being verbally abused by referees boss Bernard Sutton.

The NRL would not allow The Sunday Telegraph to interview McFarlane.

Meanwhile the drama continues through Round 20 of the premiership.

The Cowboys score the matchwinning try against the Knights from a blatant forward pass.

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan blows up about the refereeing against the Broncos.

Bernie Sutton apologises to him the next day. Nothing’s changed.

Originally published as Ricky McFarlane banished to NSW Cup after his Raiders blunder while Gerard Sutton hits the Gold Coast