Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson claims NRL refs have inherent bias against lower teams

Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson has made the sensational claim that referees have an inherent bias against teams that are lower on the NRL ladder.
Richardson doubled down on coach Benji Marshall's post-match critique that the Tigers were hard done by the match officials in Sunday's 18-14 loss to Penrith.
In particular, Marshall said a kick-pressure penalty against Jarome Luai was "outrageous" and that another offside call against the halfback was "bad".
On Friday, Richardson ventured that rebuilding teams such as the 13th-placed Tigers, wooden spooners the past three seasons, were likelier to be penalised than more successful sides.
"I thought there were some pretty ordinary refereeing decisions (in the Panthers game) that certainly had an effect on us," he said on the Tigers' Behind The Roar podcast.
"I've learned over the years, though, that refereeing decisions never really go your way when you're battling up the ladder.
"For some reason referees — and they're humans — they feel that the better teams are going to make better mistakes, less mistakes, when really that's not the case. But it is what it is."
The Tigers have been penalised on average more than any team this season, conceding eight penalties per game across the opening 14 rounds.
But ladder-leading Canberra, the biggest success story of the season, has conceded the second-most behind the Tigers, with 7.6 per game.
Second-placed Canterbury are not far behind in fifth spot with 7.0 per game, only one fewer than the 13th-placed Tigers.
Former Penrith, Cronulla and South Sydney chief executive Richardson claimed becoming a good team would help the Tigers receive more penalties.
"You've got to become one of the better teams to get some more of the rub of the green," he said.
The Tigers hit their round-15 bye on a four-game losing streak, but three of those defeats have come by 10 points or fewer.
Richardson was happy with the club's progress.
"I'm very, very comfortable, not with 5-8 (their record), neither would you be as fans and members, but the reality is that, as a team, we're improving all the time," he said.
AAP

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Bostock's four tries fire Dolphins to destroy Cowboys

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Bostock's four tries fire Dolphins to destroy Cowboys

The Dolphins have surged to sixth position on the NRL ladder, with four tries to winger Jack Bostock and another masterclass by halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa firing a 58-4 thrashing of North Queensland. Four-try hero Bostock, who will surely represent NSW in the future, ensured the Dolphins entered the stratosphere for attacking football and defensive resolve in sequence. The losing 54-point margin for the Cowboys was the worst in their history at home. The ruthless Dolphins became just the sixth side in premiership history to win three consecutive games by at least 36 points after a 56-6 win over St George Illawarra and a 44-8 victory against Canterbury. "We have got a great ability as a team to score points," Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said. "The halves love playing together, but I also know that when we are defending really well that is when we are at our best. "We have got to make sure that we keep turning up and working hard and that we don't let a couple of wins weaken us ... and all of a sudden we get our pants pulled down." Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was "one of the worst" performances by the club he had seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars. "It was a tough night," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said. The Dolphins have won seven of their past 10 matches and are clearly the best-coached and performed side of all the Queensland teams. With their four best forwards out for the season, the response of the side after a 0-4 start to the campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary under Woolf. Their oldest forwards Felise Kaufusi, 33, and Mark Nicholls, 35, led the pack up front in Townsville on Saturday with gusto and grunt. Nikorima has been the unsung hero of the Dolphins' resurgence. Katoa, with the most try assists this season, has got all the wraps and rightly so, but his veteran partner has been a linchpin figure. Both were electric against the Cowboys, who have won just one of their past six games. The Cowboys suffered a major blow in the warm-up when star forward Jason Taumalolo withdrew with a concern over an injured calf that had kept him out of action since round nine. Bostock scored early before Kaufusi was binned for a high shot on Cowboys replacement half Tom Duffy, minutes after stand-in captain Scott Drinkwater was also hit high. Both Cowboys went off for HIAs. Down to 12 men, the Dolphins were far too classy for the Cowboys, with Nikorima and Katoa creating a second try for Bostock. Katoa sliced through to put rampaging back-rower Oryn Keeley over under the sticks for a 16-0 lead. The Cowboys caught out the Dolphins on the short side with a slick move from Drinkwater to put winger Murray Taulagi over in the corner, but that was their only joy. Dolphins utility Kurt Donoghoe scored on the cusp of halftime for the Dolphins to lead 22-4 at the break. From there it was all the Dolphins, with Bostock, outstanding fill-in fullback Jake Averillo, devastating centre Herbie Farnworth, tough-as-teak Ray Stone and Nikorima all continuing the try-scoring extravaganza. The Dolphins have surged to sixth position on the NRL ladder, with four tries to winger Jack Bostock and another masterclass by halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa firing a 58-4 thrashing of North Queensland. Four-try hero Bostock, who will surely represent NSW in the future, ensured the Dolphins entered the stratosphere for attacking football and defensive resolve in sequence. The losing 54-point margin for the Cowboys was the worst in their history at home. The ruthless Dolphins became just the sixth side in premiership history to win three consecutive games by at least 36 points after a 56-6 win over St George Illawarra and a 44-8 victory against Canterbury. "We have got a great ability as a team to score points," Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said. "The halves love playing together, but I also know that when we are defending really well that is when we are at our best. "We have got to make sure that we keep turning up and working hard and that we don't let a couple of wins weaken us ... and all of a sudden we get our pants pulled down." Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was "one of the worst" performances by the club he had seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars. "It was a tough night," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said. The Dolphins have won seven of their past 10 matches and are clearly the best-coached and performed side of all the Queensland teams. With their four best forwards out for the season, the response of the side after a 0-4 start to the campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary under Woolf. Their oldest forwards Felise Kaufusi, 33, and Mark Nicholls, 35, led the pack up front in Townsville on Saturday with gusto and grunt. Nikorima has been the unsung hero of the Dolphins' resurgence. Katoa, with the most try assists this season, has got all the wraps and rightly so, but his veteran partner has been a linchpin figure. Both were electric against the Cowboys, who have won just one of their past six games. The Cowboys suffered a major blow in the warm-up when star forward Jason Taumalolo withdrew with a concern over an injured calf that had kept him out of action since round nine. Bostock scored early before Kaufusi was binned for a high shot on Cowboys replacement half Tom Duffy, minutes after stand-in captain Scott Drinkwater was also hit high. Both Cowboys went off for HIAs. Down to 12 men, the Dolphins were far too classy for the Cowboys, with Nikorima and Katoa creating a second try for Bostock. Katoa sliced through to put rampaging back-rower Oryn Keeley over under the sticks for a 16-0 lead. The Cowboys caught out the Dolphins on the short side with a slick move from Drinkwater to put winger Murray Taulagi over in the corner, but that was their only joy. Dolphins utility Kurt Donoghoe scored on the cusp of halftime for the Dolphins to lead 22-4 at the break. From there it was all the Dolphins, with Bostock, outstanding fill-in fullback Jake Averillo, devastating centre Herbie Farnworth, tough-as-teak Ray Stone and Nikorima all continuing the try-scoring extravaganza. The Dolphins have surged to sixth position on the NRL ladder, with four tries to winger Jack Bostock and another masterclass by halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa firing a 58-4 thrashing of North Queensland. Four-try hero Bostock, who will surely represent NSW in the future, ensured the Dolphins entered the stratosphere for attacking football and defensive resolve in sequence. The losing 54-point margin for the Cowboys was the worst in their history at home. The ruthless Dolphins became just the sixth side in premiership history to win three consecutive games by at least 36 points after a 56-6 win over St George Illawarra and a 44-8 victory against Canterbury. "We have got a great ability as a team to score points," Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said. "The halves love playing together, but I also know that when we are defending really well that is when we are at our best. "We have got to make sure that we keep turning up and working hard and that we don't let a couple of wins weaken us ... and all of a sudden we get our pants pulled down." Former Cowboys centre Brent Tate said on Fox League it was "one of the worst" performances by the club he had seen, despite them missing four State of Origin stars. "It was a tough night," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said. The Dolphins have won seven of their past 10 matches and are clearly the best-coached and performed side of all the Queensland teams. With their four best forwards out for the season, the response of the side after a 0-4 start to the campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary under Woolf. Their oldest forwards Felise Kaufusi, 33, and Mark Nicholls, 35, led the pack up front in Townsville on Saturday with gusto and grunt. Nikorima has been the unsung hero of the Dolphins' resurgence. Katoa, with the most try assists this season, has got all the wraps and rightly so, but his veteran partner has been a linchpin figure. Both were electric against the Cowboys, who have won just one of their past six games. The Cowboys suffered a major blow in the warm-up when star forward Jason Taumalolo withdrew with a concern over an injured calf that had kept him out of action since round nine. Bostock scored early before Kaufusi was binned for a high shot on Cowboys replacement half Tom Duffy, minutes after stand-in captain Scott Drinkwater was also hit high. Both Cowboys went off for HIAs. Down to 12 men, the Dolphins were far too classy for the Cowboys, with Nikorima and Katoa creating a second try for Bostock. Katoa sliced through to put rampaging back-rower Oryn Keeley over under the sticks for a 16-0 lead. The Cowboys caught out the Dolphins on the short side with a slick move from Drinkwater to put winger Murray Taulagi over in the corner, but that was their only joy. Dolphins utility Kurt Donoghoe scored on the cusp of halftime for the Dolphins to lead 22-4 at the break. From there it was all the Dolphins, with Bostock, outstanding fill-in fullback Jake Averillo, devastating centre Herbie Farnworth, tough-as-teak Ray Stone and Nikorima all continuing the try-scoring extravaganza.