Tigers skipper Robbie Farah has slammed referee Shayne Hayne as arrogant for his refusal to refer a contentious no-try ruling to the video referee early in the side's 40-8 thumping at the hands of Manly.
Farah was at pains to point out that it was a poor first-half showing, in which the Tigers conceded four tries while squandering numerous attacking opportunities themselves, rather than the officiating which cost his side, though he reserved both barrels for Hayne in a fiery post-match press conference.
In just the third minute of play Tigers winger David Nofoaluma was ruled by Hayne to have knocked-on in attempting to ground the ball for the opening try of the game, despite replays showing Nofoaluma had planted the ball on the try-line.
The calls of Tigers' players to send the decision upstairs fell on deaf ears, and Farah aired his frustrations afterwards when asked why Hayne had refused to take a second look at the incident.
"Arrogance... who knows?" Farah mused on Hayne's decision, before calling for the NRL to admit a mistake had been made by Hayne.
"They check everything else. Sometimes they go out there and look at things about 20 times, yet I asked him to check it and as a captain he just tells me to walk away.
"They ask you to show them respect, but they show none in return.
"In saying that, we were crap. I can sit here and admit that, but I'd like to see the refs come out during the week and admit they were too.
"It's not going to happen. At least we can put our hand up and own up to it. It would be nice if some others did that too.
"He'll still be reffing next week."
Tigers coach Mick Potter was equally adamant Hayne had erred in not sending the decision upstairs.
"I watched it on video, and if I was ruling on it, I thought that it was a try," said Potter.
"The referees have got the luxury of having the technology to make a call on it and at such a crucial moment in the game ... it would have taken three seconds and you would have known what the result is," Potter said.
"Yet for some unknown reason we don't use it in that particular instance. It just seems ludicrous."
Farrah admitted he and Hayne, who had plenty of terse moments during the opening two Origin games before Hayne was replaced for Wednesday's final game, do not have a great relationship, though conceded his side did not handle the decision well.
"There's other [referees] you talk to and they show you respect as a captain. I find it difficult with him. They're the things you've got to adapt to as a captain.
"We've got to be better than that, things go against you on the footy field but you've got to get on with the job.
"It was only three minutes into the game, so there's still 77 minutes left and they were the better side and we got beaten by 40, so we can't sit here and say that the refs cost us the game.
"It's just disappointing... it's just frustrating."
The 32-point loss, their heaviest against Manly, was compounded by the loss of Pat Richards to a groin injury in the 18th minute, as well as the citing of Farah for a lifting tackle on Sea Eagles prop Josh Starling midway through the first half.
