SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 04: Kane Evans of the Eels is sent off by referee Ashley Klein during the round 20 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Parramatta Eels at WIN Jubilee Stadium on August 04, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Ashley Klein has officially been dropped from all match officiating duties for Round 20 after his bunker howler cost the Wests Tigers a win over the North Queensland Cowboys on Sunday.
The NRL released their referee appointments for the weekend coming on Tuesday afternoon with Klein – who recently refereed the State of Origin series – missing.
Intriguingly however, Chris Butler, who was the on-field referee in the game and allowed for a captain’s challenge that the NRL have since cleared, although the Tigers have not yet accepted, has survived and will referee the Knights and Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon.
Grant Atkins could have been the other official in the headlights this week after, in conjunction with on-field official Klein, clearing Dale Finucane’s shot on Stephen Crichton in the Panthers-Sharks game from the bunker. He has survived though and will referee the Sea Eagles and Roosters, before serving in the bunker for the Eels and Panthers game on Friday evening.
Todd Smith’s standing in the game continues to grow, landing the Western Sydney derby to referee, while Gerard Sutton has the other big game this weekend between the Sharks and Rabbitohs in the Shire on Saturday evening.
Full list of Round 20 match officials
Manly Sea Eagles vs Sydney Roosters
Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch judges: Chris Sutton and David Munro
Bunker official: Gerard Sutton
Standby referee: Chris Sutton
Standby touch judge: Damian Brady
New Zealand Warriors vs Melbourne Storm
Referee: Peter Gough
Touch judges: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski and Liam Kennedy
Bunker official: Adam Gee
Standby referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Standby touch judge: Paki Pakinson
Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels
Referee: Todd Smith
Touch judges: Matt Noyen and Kasey Badger
Bunker official: Grant Atkins
Standby referee: Matt Noyen
Standby touch judge: Tom Cambourn
Gold Coast Titans vs Canberra Raiders
Referee: Ben Cummins
Touch judges: Wyatt Raymond and Nick Morel
Bunker official: Kasey Badger
Standby referee: Wyatt Raymond
Standby touch judge: Dan Schwass
Cronulla Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch judges: Drew Oultram and Jon Stone
Bunker official: Chris Butler
Standby referee: Drew Oultram
Standby touch judge: Nick Beashel
Brisbane Broncos vs Wests Tigers
Referee: Adam Gee
Touch judges: Michael Wise and Nick Pelgrave
Bunker official: Nick Pelgrave
Standby referee: Jarrod Cole
Standby touch judge: Grant Atkins
Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs
Referee: Chris Butler
Touch judges: Darian Furner and David Munro
Bunker official: Kasey Badger
Standby referee: Darian Furner
Standby touch judge: Martin Jones
St George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys
Referee: Chris Sutton
Touch judges: Phil Henderson and Belinda Sharpe
Bunker official: Gerard Sutton
Standby referee: Belinda Sharpe
Standby touch judge: Cameron Paddy
Source:: ZeroTackle
