NRL 'just making up charges' with Eels ref push: Moses
Mitch Moses says the NRL are "just making up their own charges", slamming the match review committee for citing his Parramatta teammate Dylan Brown over a referee push.
Eels five-eighth Brown has pleaded guilty to the grade-two contrary contact charge he incurred for bumping into referee Gerard Sutton while running to contest a kick in Monday's 30-12 loss to Canterbury.
Brown had eyes for the ball and put his hands into Sutton's back while running from behind the referee, who did not see him coming.
The New Zealand international will serve his one-game ban in next Sunday's clash with Gold Coast given Parramatta have the bye this weekend.
With the improving Eels still in the fight for a top-eight berth, Moses was incensed that his star halves partner had been charged for the contact, which he felt was completely incidental.
"I don't understand it," Moses told AAP at NSW camp for the second State of Origin match.
"He's competing for the ball, he's got his eyes up for the ball.
"I don't know what you want him to do, stop competing and pull out of the play? Obviously the ref is there but it's a hard one."
Players have received suspensions for contact with match officials before, with Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes notably sitting out one game in early 2024 for pushing Chris Butler.
But the situation is complicated by the fact Wests Tigers halfback Jarome Luai also pushed a referee to the ground during round 14.
Luai was not even charged for making contact with Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski as he too ran towards a kick in Sunday's loss to Penrith.
"The judiciary is probably just making up their own charges at the moment. It's all over the shop," Moses said.
Brown had a good track record with the match review committee until now, having not been cited in the last three years.
Moses said his long-time teammate wasn't the type to show unnecessary aggression on the field, either.
"There's not a bad bone in him," Moses said.
"He's one of the nicest kids you'd ever meet. I don't think he's ever been in a push and shove on the field, not once.
"And we're charging him for making contact with the ref while he's competing on a play while there's a high ball in play. I just don't understand.
"No player means to go out and run into a ref.
"I just don't understand where that mindset comes from, and we lose one of our best players because of it? Because he's competing on a play? It just doesn't make sense."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Jarome Luai will partner Nathan Cleary in the halves for NSW after injury to playmaker Mitch Moses
NSW coach Laurie Daley is backing Jarome Luai's combination with Nathan Cleary to get the job done next week after the Blues were dealt a massive blow with five-eighth Mitch Moses ruled out with a calf injury six days out from the second State of Origin match. Moses went down at training in the Blue Mountains during an attacking drill down the short side, with the Eels star sent for scans and immediately ruled out after an encouraging performance alongside Cleary in the series-opening win. The Blues could have picked Matt Burton, but the Bulldogs five-eighth will remain 18th man with Daley turning to Luai who got the call after Wests Tigers training and is expected to join his teammates in Leura on Thursday night. 'It's terrible, isn't it,' Daley said of the injury to Moses. 'Mitch played really well in game one and started off looking really good this week, but he injured his calf today. 'We're unsure of how bad it is, but he won't be any good for Wednesday with the short turnaround so we've had to rule him out.' Losing a key member of the spine just days out from a big clash is generally catastrophic for representative teams, but that's not the case when the guy coming in was part of last year's winning squad and has played with Cleary for the past decade. The pair were enemies just last week for the first time at NRL level, but Penrith's premiership duo will reunite and look to deliver like they've done in so many big games before. 'He's won four grand finals and he won the Origin series last year so I think that everyone will have a lot of confidence and faith in him,' Daley said, with Cleary and Luai to start in the halves for NSW for the first time since game one of 2023. 'I don't know Jarome that well, but I think he'd believe in himself as well that he could come in on short notice and do the job. 'There'll only be a couple of training sessions, but the fact that he's played with that left edge last year is an advantage for us. It's not like you're bringing in someone who hasn't played with those players. 'I'm disappointed for Mitch, but I'm excited for Jarome.' Winger Brian To'o is on track to play next Wednesday but will need to get through Saturday's main session in Sydney unscathed before the team flies out to Perth. Injury setbacks can rattle coaches, but Daley looked calm on the outside as he backed his side to move on from the drama. 'It's a funny game, rugby league. With the group of guys that you've got, you've got to make sure that they're prepared really well,' he said. 'We've had setbacks and challenges all the way through the campaign so far, but I'd be disappointed if the fact that we lost a guy six days out and we couldn't cope with that. 'I think the guys are very professional. It's not like we're bringing in a rookie; we're bringing in a guy who has won Origin series before and won four grand finals so he knows what he's doing.'
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
NSW's Mitch Moses ruled out of State of Origin II
NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two. NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two. NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Moses OUT of Origin II with shock injury
State of Origin: NSW Blues halves star Mitch Moses has been ruled out of Game 2 State of Origin with a calf strain.
