Fans believe the referees sided with NSW after Brad Fittler call out

Rugby league fans believe the whistleblowers gave the NSW Blues the rub of the green during Game 2 after Brad Fittler’s “whinge”.

Brad “Freddy” Fittler’s coaching masterstroke may just have come before Game 2 even got underway in Perth on Sunday night.

As the NSW Blues locked horns with the QLD Maroons in front of a packed Optus Stadium, fans were quick to point out Fittler's midweek move and believe they’d stumbled upon a rugby league conspiracy.

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The Blues lost the series opener with Fittler pinpointing his squad lost it due to QLD’s dominance in the ruck.

Freddy however couldn’t help but hint referee Ashley Klein played a role with his unwillingness to blow penalties.

The man in charge of the Blues suggested he would be speaking to referees boss Jared Maxwell to get clarity on the contentious decisions following the Game 1 loss.

Fans watching Game 2 couldn’t help but point out the discussion looked to have worked with Klein not being shy to blow his whistle, even sending Felise Kaufusi to the sin bin for a ruck infringement just before the first half ended.

“Ashleigh (sic) Klein having a great game for nsw so far,” AAP’s Ed Jackson tweeted.

Early indication is Freddie’s whinge to the referees worked #origin

— Luke Bradnam (@LukeBradnam) June 26, 2022

Truly shocked to see NSW’s customary complaint to Ash Klein after being carved up in Game One has had the desired effect.

Disgrace.#6Again#SinBin#Origin

— Sam Phillips (@samphillips06) June 26, 2022

Refs gotta even up the series tonight! #origin

— Grace Harris (@189Grace) June 26, 2022

Ashley Klein doing his best to win the Wally Lewis Medal #origin

— Andrew Tillett (@andrewtillett) June 26, 2022

Even in the commentary box, Phil Gould and Paul Vautin were baffled by some of the calls.

“I hate sin bins at the best of times let alone in an Origin, I don’t think there was ever a warning here,” former NSW Origin coach Gould said.

“He just got four or five in the space of a minute and then just had enough and sent him off. They will justify that. But I don’t think he should have got to that point.

“All of those six agains he gave to get them into sin bin territory, you need a magnifying glass to work out exactly what had gone wrong or why it needed to be penalised.

“The fact that there are six agains are not penalty kicks for goal means they are giving them away like smarties. You don’t need it. It is Origin football.”

Vautin was more blunt.

“There was five in a role, it is a gee up,” he said. “No-one know what’s they’re for. No one here knows. No one at home knows. We don’t know and we’re so called experts.”

NSW have bounced back in Game 2, heading into the sheds at halftime with a slender 14-12 lead in a bruising encounter.

Nathan Cleary played a key role in the dying stages, spotting Jarome Luia on the weak spot and sucked the Maroons defence in before a long pass out to Daniel Tupou on the wing. The Roosters star strolled over untouched.