Referees

Officials pull on the jersey and take charge of games. Every season since the lockdowns ended, the job has become harder.

Cameron Smith said “for the sake of the game” he hoped Jack Bostock didn’t touch the ball. The NRL has now confirmed that he did.

State of Origin referee Ashley Klein allegedly attempted to borrow money off his fellow match officials to fund his gambling habit.

The Aussie said it was “an involuntary, subconscious twitch” that he was “unaware” he had made.

The Warriors’ first match at home in over a month has been a rough affair, marred by back-to-back penalties for a basic infringement.

The man who will take the whistle for State of Origin II has admitted he sought help for a gambling problem after reportedly losing $400,000.

Africa’s top referee said the airport interrogation took 11 hours before he was placed in a different holding cell in Miami.

Queenslanders are calling for veteran referee Ashley Klein to be removed from State of Origin duties.

Phil Gould has urged referees to pull back on the amount of set restarts given - but the NRL could be going in a different direction.

Australian players may be used to the NRL's interpretations, but the way the officials rule on the Ashes series will throw up a new challenge.