'Swearing' Knights firebrand Dane Gagai sin-binned for ref abuse

Dane Gagai allowed frustration to boil over during the Knights' dismal loss to the Roosters when he unloaded on the referee, leading to the Newcastle firebrand being marched to the sin bin.

Gagai was sin-binned at the hour mark of the Knights' 42-12 defeat to the Roosters in Newcastle on Friday night after ripping referee Peter Gough.

"That's the second time this set," Gough was heard saying to protesting Knights players.

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"He's spraying me, swearing at me from well over there.

"I can't tolerate that."

Storm forward Brandon Smith copped a three-game ban for calling referee Adam Gee "a cheating bastard" in his side's loss to the Sharks in round 17.

He was charged with contrary conduct and referred directly to the judiciary, where his fate was decided.

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The Knights' loss to the Roosters was not only soured further by Gagai's sin-binning, but Kalyn Ponga failing a head injury assessment.

The Knights co-captain and superstar fullback left play in the eighth minute after copping a lazy arm from mid-season Roosters recruit Matt Lodge.

The defeat marked Newcastle's third in succession and its seventh loss from its last eight games at home.

Adam O'Brien's men, sitting 12th on the ladder and four wins outside the top eight, now stand no chance of playing finals football this year.

"It's been a tough, shitty season," O'Brien said in his post-game press conference.

The Roosters will meet the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval next Thursday, while the Knights are set to face the Bulldogs in Newcastle next Sunday.

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