‘The referees don’t run their own race’: NRL hits back at Stuart’s claims following controversial penalty

The NRL has responded to serious allegations made by Raiders coach Ricky Stuart after a controversial call went against the Green Machine.

The NRL has rejected claims made by Ricky Stuart that head office has taken power off referees boss Jared Maxwell. Picture; Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Referees boss Jared Maxwell has slapped down suggestions made by Raiders coach Ricky Stuart that he’s had his powers diminished this season following a controversial night in the nation’s capital that saw Canberra go down to the Broncos.

Stuart was furious with a late call to penalise Hudson Young in the 74th minute for escorting Selwyn Cobbo off the ball even though he thought the contact was minimal at worst, with the Broncos kicking a field goal a minute later to open up a 25-18 lead.

The Canberra coach was irate with a number of calls, and arrived for his press conference nearly an hour after full-time and only after an NRL official called him to hurry up.

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“I reckon the power has been taken off Jared in a number of areas, because they aren’t improving and Jared was a very intelligent referee,” Stuart said after Saturday’s loss.

The NRL is still investigating Stuart’s post-game allegations, but Maxwell insists no one at head office has tried to strip him of any powers this season.

“I’m not really sure the angle that was made in relation to the point made by Ricky after the game,” Maxwell said on Monday afternoon.

“My job is to form part of the elite footy department and work with the expectations of the game and apply what those expectations are to a group of officials that gives this product the best chance it has of being entertaining.”

Jared Maxwell was surprised to hear Ricky Stuart’s comments after the game and says there’s no truth to any of it. Picture; AAP Image/Dave Hunt

NRL head of football Graham Annesley was equally perplexed by Stuart’s accusation, telling media that no one at Rugby League Central has put pressure on the referees to adjudicate games a certain way.

“They operate completely independently of our administration,” he said, confident the referees also made the right call to sin bin repeat offender Jordan Rapana for a trip earlier in the game.

“The referees don’t run their own race, and I don’t think anyone in the game would expect them to be just left to it.

“At the administrative level we give them direction. Jared is responsible for implementing that, just as I am if (NRL chief executive) Andrew Abdo tells me to do something or if the board tells Andrew to do something.”

Both Annesley and Maxwell confirmed referee Adam Gee made the right call on Saturday night to penalise Young after he received a tip-off from one of his touch judges who noticed the Raiders back-rower had changed his line to block Cobbo.

The Broncos winger had to change his line to get to the ball and was only able to use one arm to bat it back because Young had hold of his other arm.

The NRL is happy with the call to penalise Hudson Young. Picture; Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

The Raiders immediately challenged the decision but the Bunker upheld the on-field ruling because Young always had eyes on Cobbo and changed his line to stop him from having a clean run to the ball.

“All we ask of Hudson Young is one of two things – to run directly back towards the ball and to take a position early. They are the two obligations he has,” said Maxwell, who would have had no issue with it being play on if the Broncos ended up with the ball.

“There isn’t a great deal of contact on Cobbo, however that’s not the assessment.

“The assessment is prior to that, and it’s all around the run of Selwyn Cobbo in this case versus the two indicators that Hudson Young has failed to live up to in terms of his responsibilities.

“We want the players to adapt to the two indicators.

“If there’s a position taken up early enough by Hudson Young then the responsibility would be on Selwyn to go around him. That wasn’t upheld and we are forced to make that decision.

“The contact is the last aspect in it.”