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The NRLs head of football Graham Annesley has put the leagues coaches on notice, saying that criticism of NRL match officials has become out of control in recent weeks.

Speaking at his weekly briefing on Monday, Annesley said it was rubbish to blame referees for defeats and suggested that teams who lost games should focus on improving their own performance rather than taking aim at match officials.

The level of criticism thats been coming about match officials after games I think is over the top. I think its unjustified, Annesley told reporters.

Although there are decisions that clubs dont like, and that they may think should have gone the other way, they are not necessarily wrong decisions.

If you ask the fans and the supporters of the opposition team, theyd be saying the decision is 100% right.

Were getting these marginal decisions and theres a lot of them in our game.

I just think (the criticism) has got a little bit out of control recently. Well see one incident in a game and then the whole post-match discussion is about that incident.

We focus in on one or two decisions that a referee might make and say, We lost the game because of that.

Frankly, its just rubbish.

Annesleys comments came after Dragons coach Anthony Griffin, Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett and Sharks coach Josh Hannay all lashed specific refereeing calls in their sides losses this weekend.

Coaching against his former club for the first time, Griffin bemoaned a couple of dodgy calls in Penriths defeat of his side.

He was particularly scathing of a tackle made by Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary, which he believed was a shoulder-charge.

It was a clear cut shoulder charge; thats the one they brought the rule in for where you dont use your arms, Griffin claimed after the 34-16 loss.

Barrett was left frustrated on Sunday when the Bulldogs had a try disallowed after Sione Katoa was ruled to have hit Warriors player Edward Kosi high and late in the lead-up to the would-be four-pointer.

The coach said the Bulldogs had the try that got us back in the game got taken off us for reasons I still dont know.

It wasnt a high tackle, it wasnt late and we get a try taken off us. I still cant work out why and Ive had a look at it again.

Hannay said the Sharks were shattered to have lost against Newcastle in the last game of the round 22 and lamented the referees tough decision to penalise Cronulla for dragging Bradman Best into the Knights in-goal after held had been called.

Every week, every game you see people driven back into the in-goal, thats part of the game, Hannay said.

For that to be a penalty they march up the other end and then kick the winning goal from that.

Annesley said the referees made the right call on all three occasions and questioned the logic of blaming individual decisions for losses.

Annesley added that referees very rarely cost a team the game and that match officials were not to blame for defeats recorded in round 22.

Many of these incidents happen at different stages of games where teams have got every opportunity to go on and win the game if theyre good enough, he said.

But what Ive seen over recent weeks, while some of these criticisms have been going on, is that teams have lost games because they havent been good enough to win them. Thats why theyve lost games.

Frankly, its time other people accepted responsibility for the outcomes of some games.

Annesley said that teams unforced errors and missed tackles had a far greater impact on the outcome of a game than one or two refereeing decisions that might be arguable about whether they were right or they were wrong.

Annesley said the increased competition for spots in the NRLs top eight may be responsible for the spike in criticism levelled at match officials.

Both Hannay and Griffins teams had been well and truly in the fight for top eight spots prior to round 22, but their losses over the weekend now put them one win behind the teams sitting in eighth and ninth on the ladder.

Weve a scramble for positions in the eight and for making the eight. The eights still far from settled, Annesley said

I get the pressure everyones under. Were all under pressure.

Annesley said not just coaches, but media personalities and other pundits within the game, should rethink their criticism of match officials

Theyre entitled to opinion, Im not trying to stop them from having an opinion, but its the intensity of the criticism, he said.

Annesley said it was not for him to determine whether coaches would be fined for their comments over the weekend.

My role is about what happens on the field. There are other people at the NRL in other roles that determine whether our rules have been breached in relation to post-match comment, he said.

Originally posted here:
Out of control: NRL lashes rubbish trend among whinging coaches - Fox Sports