Billy Slater has raised questions around the refereeing in the State of Origin decider on Wednesday, suggesting Queensland “didn’t get the rub of the green” and asking why New South Wales was allowed to bully Reece Walsh.
The Maroons boss, who had yet to lose a series before his 1–2 defeat this year, bristled after being asked about Ashley Klein’s performance in the Origin post-match pressers.
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“Things just weren’t going our way, it didn’t feel like we got the bounce of the ball or the rub of the green and that tells in the end with fatigue,” Slater said, pointing to the Cameron Murray incident that saw Mitch Barnett sent to the bin after the Rabbitohs lock joined a 10-vs-two melee on the sideline late-on in the first 40 minutes.
While Slater didn’t mention anything specific, Queensland pundits were quick to point out after the decider wrapped up that the Maroons had fallen prey to a lopsided six-to-nine penalty count at home.
“I’m sure the referee will review his own game. I’m sure his boss will review his game,” Slater added.
“That’s their job to review their own game and their own performance.”
🚨🏉 Billy Slater has taken aim at the #Origin refereeing on Wednesday, suggesting Ashley Klein and his bosses will have to “review his game” in the post-match conference
Slater and his @QLDmaroons team came out behind on the penalty count at Suncorp, 6–9 pic.twitter.com/DJRxHgEPfA
— The Sporting Base – NRL (@BaseNrl) July 18, 2024
Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans sided with Slater on the Murray issue, claiming Klein made a mistake not sending him off and declaring the incident was “unacceptable at any level of footy.”
The melee wasn’t the only thing that came under Slater’s fiery eye after the 14-4 loss either, with the Origin coach levelling a “please explain” at Klein and the referees about why fullback Reece Walsh was allowed to—in his words—being targeted off the ball.
“He certainly was getting hit a fair bit without the footy…” Slater told gathered NRL reporters. “They’ll review that [hit off the ball], I’m sure they’ll look at their own game. I just thought he was hit a little bit off the footy, that’s what I think.”
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The Queensland coach then conceded: “It’s a game of rugby league at State of Origin level, I’ve been out there… I know what it’s like, I understand what he’s going through. It’s just the way it is.”
