Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall was left frustrated and confused after some crucial calls went against him in the joint venture's 24-10 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys.
The Tigers were well in the fight, taking the lead into half-time, with some tough calls making it difficult to go on with the victory after Cowboys gained some second-half momentum.
Two of the biggest talking points came against the Tigers, with two tries taken off them, starting with Jarome Luai running the entire field before it was called into question in the 21st minute.
“I actually feel very sorry for them (Tigers players) because the standard and level of some of the refereeing decisions today were outrageous,” Marshall said.
“I thought we copped the raw end of the stick all night.”
Skipper Apisai Koroisau was deemed to have played at the ball when Cowboys forward Thomas Mikaele was charging to the line, when the steeden came loose and Luai capitalised.
“Api gets penalised when Jarome runs away and scores, for playing at Thomas Mikaele's arm. What's he supposed to do?,” he said.
“He's going to go and score if he doesn't.
“At the end of the game, we go and contest the ball and get penalised for contesting. They go down, take Jock Madden out, same thing, we get no penalty and they score. That's just a couple of things that actually happened out there, and I just feel sorry for the players because we're fighting so hard to try and get the result.
“Take nothing away from the Cowboys, they earned their victory and got it, but I feel like I need to stand up for my players because the way they're fighting, it's just not right.”
Terrell May later had a try taken off him after an obstruction call went against Marshall's side, which would have brought the Tigers right back into the contest to engineer an upset win.
“He (Fonua Pole) runs a lead inside the four man on the guy inside Heilum Luki, who makes a defensive decision to come in, and Terrell goes outside him and the obstruction's for the guy inside. Anyone who knows footy knows that's a try and then it's 20-16 with however long to go and we're fighting back in it,” he said.
“It just felt like that all night. I had my rant, I just don't think it's right.”
Marshall will be waiting for a 'please explain' from the NRL head honchos over some decisions in the match.
“From our point of view, when you're at this part of the table that's probably what happens but (that) doesn't make it right,” he added.
The Cowboys' win seals them into the Top 8, leaving the Sea Eagles officially out of the premiership hunt.
Meanwhile, the Tigers now face the Penrith Panthers at CommBank Stadium to close out their home and away season next Sunday.
