'Work on your catch': Billy Slater's blunt message to players after disruptor controversy that's 'hurting the game'

NRL great Billy Slater believes the league is becoming "too technical" and called out players' errors after drama around the disruptor rule over the weekend.

The rule became a big talking point for two incidents after Brendan Piakura's try was ruled out for the Broncos due to Gehamat Shibasaki's role in a kick contest.

On that occasion, Tom Chester had dropped a kick, to which Slater implored the centre to "work on your catch".

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The other incident involved Robert Toia who also had his try scrubbed out.

Both coaches Michael Maguire and Trent Robinson were displeased post-match before NRL head of football Graham Annesley admitted to The Sydney Morning Herald the wrong decision had been made with Toia.

Annesley also confirmed there is no blanket ban on one-handed contests after an edict from the NRL in pre-season led to confusion.

"Genuinely contesting is deemed to mean arriving at the ball at the same time as the defender and with two arms in the air to catch or bat the ball back," the NRL had communicated to clubs.

Slater said from that moment in pre-season, there was always going to be a "flow-on effect".

"I honestly think we've got too technical for our own good and it's hurting the game right now," he said on Nine's The Billy Slater podcast.

"I feel for the referees, I feel for the match officials because it's not their fault, they're just trying to adjudicate on the descriptions they've been given.

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"Every contest, you can tell whether the intentions of a player there is to compete or not to compete or disrupt or obstruct. I think that's the word we're looking for.

"I don't like the word disruptor, if you're there and you obstruct someone, it's the same as a defensive line ... we need to have some common sense in this situation."

Slater went on to say referees should be given the "responsibility" to adjudicate based on how they feel around how competitive a contest is.

The Queensland Maroons coach added the referees need to have confidence and that the amount of infringements is a sign of over-policing.

"The game is too pedantic, if we get pedantic about the game we'll get an infringement in every situation, you will find something," he said.

The former champion fullback also explained that players will "get jumps wrong", pointing to Toia's contest.

"Robert Toia was going for the ball but got his jump slightly wrong, it's not a penalty," he said.

"And some of the dropped balls in these situations, the Tom Chester drop ball (from the Piakura no try), work on your catch. You shouldn't be dropping those balls. I can't believe we're getting rewarded for some of the errors in these games."