‘Terrible, no understanding’: Abdo annoyed at Cleary’s Bunker outburst

Ivan Cleary has narrowly avoided a fine after delivering a stinging rebuke of the Bunker, but NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has expressed disappointment in the Panthers coach’s comments after his team marched into another grand final.

In an explosive start to grand final week, NRL officials pored over Cleary’s press conference after he labelled a Bunker decision to disallow a second-half Panthers try due to an obstruction call as “terrible”, and said the prospect of similar scenario unfolding in the grand final made him “anxious”.

But according to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity not allowed to discuss the matter publicly, it was Cleary’s assertion he hoped senior Bunker official Chris Butler wasn’t appointed to the grand final which raised most concern.

Cleary quickly retracted the comment on Saturday night and said: “I shouldn’t say that”.

The NRL made a quick decision on Sunday not to breach Cleary for his comments before Abdo expressed his frustration with the remarks.

“Ivan is a great coach,” Abdo said. “After the game he doesn’t like to talk about match officials, which is something everyone should observe.

“Coaches or players making comments about individual match officials and speculation on appointments are unhelpful and detract from the focus being on the clubs and the players in the lead up to the grand final.”

No coach has been fined this year for criticising match officials, and it will remain that way until the grand final.

Wayne Bennett brought the officiating issue to a head after the Dolphins were denied a try due to an obstruction decision in their round-27 loss to the Knights, with Cleary lending his support to the game’s most decorated coach.

Cleary is not known as a coach who frequently raises the issue of match officials – and rarely discusses the issue in his weekly media commitments – but he was moved to vent his frustrations after the Panthers set up a grand final showdown with the Storm.

Ivan Cleary is not happy with the Bunker’s interpretations.Credit: Getty Images

Penrith’s 20-point preliminary final win over the Sharks was laced with controversy. Cronulla centre Siosifa Talakai avoided the sin-bin for a late tackle on Jarome Luai in the first half.

The NRL’s match review committee hit Talakai with a grade one dangerous contact charge, which carries an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea.

But fans were most bemused when the Bunker ruled Talakai had been obstructed by Luke Garner in the lead-up to a Sunia Turuva try.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley will analyse the decision on Monday morning before his weekly media briefing later that afternoon.

On Sunday, Immortal Andrew Johns told The Footy Show: “Ivan is very conservative how he talks about referees. That was way out of left field.

“The same person who is consistent with their decisions, and consistent with their principles about what they think is a block play and understand what the lead runner is doing [needs to be in the Bunker]. It’s not really all about the attacker. It’s about the defender.

“We need one or two people in the Bunker making decisions. We cannot have different people with different opinions.”

Sharks prop Toby Rudolf faces a one-match suspension after being issued a grade two dangerous contact charge for tripping Isaah Yeo in the opening minutes of the game.

Rudolf escaped being sent to the sin-bin for the foul play.

The Panthers will be trying to win their fourth straight title under Cleary against the team who beat them in the 2020 grand final.

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