Blues coach Laurie Daley is said to be “privately furious” over the lopsided penalty count in Game II, with one pundit believing referee Ashley Klein was “refereeing one side” in the first half.
The Blues were on the wrong end of an 8-0 first half penalty count, which turned into 9-0 after 45 minutes.
During that time, the Maroons forged a 26-6 lead, which they almost coughed up in the second half but were able to hold on to force a decider.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield tweeted ‘3 votes Klein’ during Wednesday night’s game, sarcastically implying Klein was the best on ground due to his impact with the whistle.
Rothfield was on Thursday night’s episode of NRL360 where he shared that Daley wasn’t happy with the referee’s performance.
Daley didn’t wish to comment on the penalty count during his post-match presser.
“Laurie will look at the video and find out what he wants to talk to the NRL about and then take it to adjudication,” Rothfield said.
“He was furious after the game. Privately furious, but he knows he can’t come out and say anything. Not just for the fine, but because it’ll look like poor sportsmanship.”
‘Always drama in my life’ – Cam Munster | 06:47
MORE ORIGIN NEWS
NSW RATINGS: Disappearing acts, costly blunders as star’s historic haul can’t save
QLD RATINGS: Munster masterclass papers over star spine crack in QLD mixed bag
‘CAN’T TELL YOU’: Daley responds to penalty count as Blues ‘miss jump’
‘3 VOTES KLEIN’: Origin ref under fire as lopsided penalty count causes stir
Rothfield went onto say that in his mind, the officiating wasn’t the reason the Blues were defeated, but the veteran journalist was at a loss as to why New South Wales didn’t cop one single penalty in the first 45 minutes.
“I think NSW were ill-disciplined and I don’t have too many problems with the nine penalties they conceded. The problem I do have is that anyone can look at a replay of that first half and find 4-5 areas of the game where Queensland could quite easily have been penalised as well,” Rothfield said.
“In my eyes, he was refereeing one side for the majority of the first half.
“I know we were ill-disciplined and I’m not blaming it for the loss … but you cannot be perfect in Origin for 45 minutes. Impossible.
“It’s outrageous that Queensland can play 45 minutes in State of Origin and that intensity, mistakes are made, high speed, high intensity and not one penalty. That cannot happen.”
“There were a couple I thought were dubious but what I’m trying to say is that all the 50-50 calls went Queensland’s way,” NRL360 host Braith Anasta added.
“You’re not going to see that again. You’re not going to see a 8-0 penalty count again.”
