NRL grand final referee Gerard Sutton says Melbourne won’t get any help to slow the play the ball

HEAD grand final referee Gerard Sutton says Melbourne’s ruck tactics in Sunday’s decider against the Roosters won’t be treated any differently to what they have been during the regular season.

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GRAND final referee Gerard Sutton says Melbourne’s ruck tactics won’t be treated any differently to what they have been during the regular season.

The Storm are notorious for using wrestle techniques to slow down the play the ball but Sutton insisted the defending premier’s would not get a helping hand in Sunday’s decider against the Sydney Roosters.

He says referees will “make a judgment on who wins each tackle” based on a number of parameters used to police and in turn ultimately penalise a player in the ruck.

Melbourne won’t be allowed to slow the game down. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

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They are: “If the defence wins the tackle and they drive a guy back, they’re entitled to a little more time,” Sutton explained.

“If the ball carrier wins the contest and he sticks his nose through the line or generates momentum, we expect the defenders to get off quicker.

“Tackles that are neutral are just given reasonable time.”

Gerard Sutton says he won’t be taking any nonsense. (Brett Costello)

Craig Bellamy’s men hold a slight advantage over Trent Robinson’s troops when Sutton has been in charge of their respective matches this year.

According to Fox Sports Lab, the Storm has a win percentage of 80 per cent, while the Roosters have won 67 per cent of matches.

Under Sutton, the Storm received on average of 9.2 penalties and the Roosters received 7.7 penalties in those games.

Sutton, who will referee his fourth grand final on Sunday, also moved to quash any suggestions that Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith is afforded more time to engage with match officials over decisions made during a game.

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“The last three years we’ve had really tight guidelines of when captains can speak to us. They can only talk to us at a stoppage in play and not at penalties,” he said.

“I don’t think Cameron Smith speaks any more than any other captain and we certainly give every player that’s out there equal amounts of respect.

“Whether it’s Cameron Smith or Jake Friend or anyone else, if it’s done in the right terms and the right time we have a respectful relationship and response.”

Roosters enforcer Dylan Napa, who returns from a three match ban, has been sin-binned by Sutton on two occasions this year but he says Napa won’t be signalled out for any special attention.

“There is no room in refereeing for carrying any sort of personal things moving forward. You make judgments in moments in time. I don’t think there is any of that from players as well,” he said.

“You’re out there in a sporting contest and things happen in speed.

“We both make decisions on the run and I don’t find it creates any greater problem or you carry baggage.”

Touch Judge Nick Beashel, with referees Gerard Sutton and Ashley Klein. (Brett Costello)

Ashley Klein will join Sutton in the middle to officiate Sunday’s grand final. This will be Klein’s first ever grand final since returning to the NRL from his time as an Super League referee in 2008.

Sutton and Klein also worked together across all three games of this year’s State of Origin series.

Also appointed on Tuesday were touch judges Brett Suttor and Nick Beashel. The Bunker will be manned by Steve Chiddy and Ben Galea.

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Originally published as NRL grand final referee Gerard Sutton says Melbourne won’t get any help to slow the play the ball