Billy Slater calls out glaring truth as NRL makes call on Ashley Klein for Origin 3
Amid all the controversy surrounding Ashley Klein's performance in State of Origin 2, Billy Slater has pointed out that Queensland were on the wrong side of the count in Game 1. And the Queensland coach believes his side won Game 2 because they addressed their ill-discipline.
Klein handed the Maroons nine-straight penalties in Origin 2, and the count eventually finished 10-2 against the Blues. The NRL has since reportedly decided that Klein will retain the refereeing duties for the series decider, despite plenty in NSW calling for him to be axed.
Speaking on the NRL Footy Show on Sunday, Slater was asked about the penalty count in Game 2. And according to the Maroons coach, it came about because his side put an emphasis on their discipline after losing the count in Game 1 (9-6).
"We found ourselves in that situation on Game 1," he said. "That was one area that we really needed to address going into the Game 2 camp - the penalties that we gave away and the ill-discipline. We handled that better than we did in Game 1 and that's a huge part of the game."
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On Sunday, it was also reported that Klein will keep the whistle-blower duties for Game 3 in Sydney. NSW officials will reportedly meet with the NRL this week to discuss Klein's performance in Game 2, but it won't be enough to see him axed.
Veteran reporter Phil Rothfield revealed on Sky Sports radio on Monday morning that Klein is 'clearly superior' in 'just about every category' that the NRL uses to assess its referees. A KPI (key performance indicators) system looks at play-the-ball speed, decision-making, communication, game understanding, accuracy, communication with other officials, consistency, identifying infringements, positioning, game management, ruck communication, positioning, fitness and endurance.
'I think we got beaten by the better side in Perth, but it didn't help the penalty count,' Rothfield said. 'For the life of me, I still can't believe 45 minutes a team is perfect in Origin football. But I think we're going to have to live with Ashley for the decider."
Former Blues player Matty Johns declared last week that NSW only had themselves to blame. 'Us New South Welshmen, most people will point to that (penalty count) and go 'look at that'. But I tell you what, we were f***ing undisciplined,' he said. 'That's it. Don't blame the referee. We were undisciplined.'
And NSW captain Isaah Yeo said the same on the night. "There were certainly a few we were shooting ourselves with and they're just penalties," he admitted in the press conference.
"Some others were 50-50s. Some nights you get them and some nights you don't. But what you can't do is just go drop the ball in the next set when you've got the ball. You would obviously like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemies at time."
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Queensland great Corey Parker said a total of 12 penalties in an Origin game is too many, regardless of who received them. 'I just don't think you need 12 penalties and 10 of those going in the way of one team," he said on SEN radio. "I think it's a concern for the game personally."
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