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NRL investigates after referee pelted in stormy Eden Park playoff exit

Carys BevanPublished 2d ago3 min readBased on 6 sources
NRL investigates after referee pelted in stormy Eden Park playoff exit
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The NRL has opened an integrity investigation after referee Ashley Klein was pelted with bottles, cups and rubbish as he left the field at Eden Park.

Newcastle had just beaten the New Zealand Warriors 12-10 in a playoff that ended the home side's season. Klein needed security around him as abuse rained down after full-time, according to video of the walk-off reported by The Guardian.

The footage is ugly. Bottles and cups fly from the stands towards Klein. His two touchline assistants were also targeted as the officials headed for the tunnel. Auckland police confirmed no arrests from the match itself, apart from two pitch invaders.

Those throwing the objects were Warriors fans, and frustration had been building. Late in the game Klein refused to award a penalty in real time, and the Warriors had already used up their captain's challenge — league's system that lets a skipper ask the video officials to review a call — so they could not force a second look, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster pointed to two moments afterwards. He questioned a strip call from the bunker — the video-review team that rules on tries and foul play — against Te Maire Martin. He also argued Newcastle's Tyson Frizell should have been penalised for a possible escort, when a defender blocks a chaser from reaching the ball, on Leka Halasima.

The reaction around the game was swift. Former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson called the targeting of Klein "embarrassing" on Sky NZ coverage. Eden Park's chief described the pelting of officials as unacceptable and vowed to track down those responsible. ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys said any fans found guilty will be banned from NRL games for a period.

The NRL said its investigation centres on potential breaches of its spectators' code of conduct. An Integrity Unit investigator was already at the ground for the match.

It should have been a celebration. The tie had been moved from the Warriors' usual home at Mt Smart to Eden Park. The crowd of 48,511 was the biggest ever recorded for a rugby league match in New Zealand.

Instead the night ended sour. The 12-10 defeat meant the Warriors went out of the finals in straight sets, which in the NRL means back-to-back playoff defeats and elimination. Newcastle marched on.

What makes this stand out is the contrast. A record crowd showed how big league has become in Auckland. A few dozen people throwing bottles showed how quickly disappointment can turn. The season is over for the Warriors. The search for those who crossed the line is just starting.

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