SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 28: Cameron Smith of the Storm reacts during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the Melbourne Storm at the Sydney Cricket Ground on September 28, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith is set to come under fire for his comments towards referee Gerard Sutton during Sunday’s Grand Final victory over Penrith.
The Storm held off a surging Panthers side, who were in reaching distance with the final play of the match as Melbourne fielded just 11 players after two second-half sin bins.
Melbourne got the job done by six points in the end, but Smith’s questioning of Sutton surrounding the decision to send off Jahrome Hughes has placed the Storm great in hot water.
In the 71st minute, Penrith star Nathan Cleary had kicked through for Viliame Kikau to run on before the play was sent upstairs, with the second-look seeing Hughes change his line and effect Kikau’s play at the ball.
Hughes was charged with a professional foul and was shortly sent off the field.
Smith was quick to question Sutton during the process, stating the referee was trying to keep Penrith alive.
“The last three or four penalties they have got is little very picky stuff and we have got nothing mate,” Smith said before Hughes was sent to the bin.
“I get it, everyone wants an exciting finish. But we are just the same as them.
“Stop trying to pick little things out of our game to make an exciting finish.”
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary was fined $20,000 (eventually reduced to $10,000) for stating Canberra had been “managed” back into a match earlier this year.
Speaking post-match, Cleary didn’t want to touch on several major refereeing decisions made in the Grand Final.
“I’m not allowed to talk about referees, I’m not going to start tonight,” he said.
“I just want to say congratulations to the Storm, as long as I’ve been around as a coach they’ve been at the top of the tree.
“I think their victory tonight is a reward for their consistency.”
Source:: ZeroTackle
