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- Blues supporters enraged by penalty count on Wednesday night
- Frustrated NSW captain Isaah Yeo was spotted talking to referee
A simple photo of Blues captain Isaah Yeo in heated discussion with referee Ashley Klein has encapsulated the discontent NSW supporters have towards the officiating on Wednesday night.
Despite a spirited second-half comeback, the Blues couldn’t quite seal victory, with Cameron Munster’s side holding out in a dramatic finish, to win the match 26-24 and level the series at 1-1.
Referee Ashley Klein awarded eight penalties for the Maroons – and none for Laurie Daley’s men across the opening 40 minutes. The count at the end of the match was 10-2.
NSW’s lack of discipline didn’t help at Optus Stadium – but many supporters were incensed on social media as Billy Slater’s team took a 26-6 lead into the sheds.
‘Ashley Klein needs to pull his head in. You cannot tell me he hasn’t been instructed to favour Queensland,’ posted one on X.
‘I know the NRL want a decider, but Klein can’t even hide the bias. 8-0 penalty count and all the six-again calls. You may as well skipped game 2 and just gone to game 3,’ fumed another.
Blues captain Isaah Yeo was pictured talking to referee Ashley Klein during Wednesday night’s Origin match after a very lopsided penalty count
Footy fans were fuming at the brutal penalty count in favour of the Maroons
‘Looks like Klein took part in the Queensland Captain’s run,’ joked a third.
Former players were furious with the brutal penalty count, too.
Ex-Blues playemaker Jamie Soward posted: ‘That will do me. Ash doing his best to get in the way here.’
Jarryd Hayne posted: ‘This is why Origin is the greatest game in this country!!! Regardless of the pressure teams face, it is the team spirit that truly matters.
‘Ps 7-0 pen count. Did some individuals attempt to influence the referees to force a decider?’
Blues captain Isaah Yeo was pictured in a tense discussion with Klein during the match, looking visibly frustrated.
Following the match, Yeo said he thought the 50/50 calls went against the Blues all night.
‘There’s certainly a few that we were shooting ourselves in the foot with and they were just penalties,’ he said.
The Maroons were in their element in Perth claiming a 26-24 win to take the State of Origin series to a decider in Sydney
Following the match, Yeo said he thought the 50/50 calls went against his side
‘Other ones are 50-50. Some nights you get them, some nights you don’t. So what you can’t do is you can’t go drop the ball early in the next set early in the tackle count when you’ve got the ball.
‘So obviously I’d like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemy at times as well.’
NSW coach Laurie Daley was more blunt when asked about the officiating.
‘I can’t tell you what I honestly think, so I’m not going to,’ Daley said.
