New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has been left fuming over a refereeing debacle during the club's loss to the Cronulla Sharks.
In what was the Warriors' first game in Auckland for two months, and their return from last week's bye, they took the challenge to an understrength Cronulla Sharks, but ultimately were knocked over by a late two-point field goal from Braydon Trindall.
It ensured the Auckland-based club would lose their second game in a row, having fallen short to the Penrith Panthers to end a six-match winning streak before the bye.
But the Sharks, potentially, should never have been in a position to win after being gifted a penalty goal during the first half.
In the play that got scoring underway for the evening, the Warriors were lining up a drop out, but unable to see the countdown clock on the big screen due to an advertisement, asked the referee Gerard Sutton how long was remaining.
Told five seconds, half Chanel Harris-Tavita took the kick within approximately two or three seconds, but the drop out shot clock expired first and a penalty was awarded as a result.
Webster didn't hold back when asked by reporters after the game.
“It was a dropout. Chanel says to the referee there was an advertisement on the screen. He says, ‘Ref, how long have I got? I can't see the clock'. He says, ‘You've got five seconds',” Webster said.
“He kicks it in two and as he's kicking it, the siren goes off, blows his whistle, gives a penalty, two points straight in front. And then they question, and he says, ‘Not my fault'.
“So (it) gifted them two points because professionalism around they don't even know how long to go.
“When you ask the question, because you can't see it on the clock, and the response is, ‘You've got five seconds', and you kick it in two … I never blow up. That's embarrassing.
“If the referee tells you you've got five seconds and you kick it in two. Five minus two is three. They've got three seconds left … when the referee tells you that, and then he's the one that penalises you, surely common sense is let's do a re-do there. Something's gone wrong, or you say just play on. Common sense."
Webster's side had a late chance to send it to golden point, but missed a penalty goal.
The club, who still sit towards the top of the table, will be desperate to turn things around next weekend at home away from home when they welcome the North Queensland Cowboys to Christchurch.
The Warriors will still be without James Fisher-Harris for that clash, with the prop suffering a calf injury that's likely to leave him sidelined for a number of weeks.
Webster will have other selection queries though, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad now fit, playing from the bench in his return against the Sharks on Saturday evening.
