- Bulldogs were hammered to end NRL season
- Controversy struck just two minutes into the match
- Former Bulldogs captain exploded in the commentary box
James Graham is facing being pulled from the air at Triple M after a furious on-air tirade against referee Ashley Klein during Canterbury’s heavy semi-final defeat to Penrith.
The former Bulldogs captain, who has never hidden his passion for the club, was part of the Triple M commentary team when he completely lost his composure less than two minutes into the match.
Viliame Kikau had charged down a Nathan Cleary kick and seemed destined to regather the ball and run away for an early try that could have changed the tone of the game.
Before Kikau could collect possession, Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards made contact, sending the Bulldogs enforcer off balance and sparking instant debate about whether it was a clear professional foul.
With no defenders between Kikau and the try-line, most observers expected Klein to brandish the yellow card and send Edwards to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.
Instead, the referee awarded a simple penalty, insisting the unpredictable bounce of the ball meant Kikau was not guaranteed to score, and therefore the infringement did not meet the threshold for a professional foul.
James Graham explodes in the Triple M commentary box, hurling abuse at referee Ashley Klein after Kikau’s denied opportunity
Canterbury supporters felt robbed as referee Klein awarded only a penalty, despite Kikau being denied a clear opportunity
Graham’s furious rant sparks NRL Code of Conduct concerns, with broadcasters warned against undermining integrity of referees
That call proved to be the trigger for Graham’s extraordinary eruption, as his voice rose and he vented his fury live to thousands of listeners.
‘Make the decision Klein. You bottleless git Klein,’ Graham fumed, his voice cracking with emotion as he hammered the referee’s judgment.
He then escalated further, labelling Klein an ‘absolute bottle job’ in words that stunned his colleagues and quickly spread across social media.
Commentator Dan Ginnane had tried to describe the moment calmly, saying: ‘If he gets the bounce he will almost score. He’s dragged down by Edwards. I think this is a problem. It’s a penalty and I think it is 10 minutes.’
Gorden Tallis quickly backed him up with the blunt declaration: ‘It’s got to be,’ before encouraging Graham’s rant by laughing, ‘This is the Jimmy Graham I love. I’m coming with ya.’
The clip of the incident, which circulated widely online, raised serious questions about Graham’s professionalism and impartiality.
Triple M later confirmed that Graham had indeed used the word ‘git’ to describe Klein, a British slang insult for someone considered unpleasant or foolish.
The term ‘bottleless,’ meanwhile, is a British expression meaning someone who lacks the courage or conviction to make a bold decision.
Graham played 135 games for the Bulldogs and took the club to two grand finals in his time at the club
Canterbury’s semi-final dreams ended brutally as Penrith raced to a record 36-8 half-time lead, sealing a dominant victory
Social media users reacted strongly, with many Bulldogs fans defending Graham’s passion but plenty of others accusing him of embarrassing bias and demanding he be removed from future commentary involving Canterbury.
One fan wrote: ‘James Graham, you need to calm down and you’re supposed to be a neutral. Going like that, and it wasn’t a professional foul.’
Another added: ‘Jimmy is great but can we get an unbiased commentary team next time?’ as debate intensified about whether ex-players should call games featuring their former clubs.
The NRL Code of Conduct is clear that broadcasters, as official partners, are prohibited from abusive criticism of referees, which leaves Graham at risk of disciplinary action.
Triple M has confirmed they are investigating the matter and are aware of the public pressure surrounding their high-profile commentator.
