NRL boss infuriates fans again with response to Api Koroisau and Will Kennedy incidents

Graham Annesley has come under fire from angry NRL fans once again after ticking off two controversial calls from the Cronulla Sharks and Wests Tigers game last weekend. There was massive controversy when Api Koroisau was sin-binned in the first half after referee Adam Gee deemed him not to be square at marker when he shut down a Sharks attacking raid.

The referee ruled Koroisau to have committed a professional foul, but hoards of angry fans and commentators believed the Tigers hooker was square and had every right to do what he did. There was even more controversy after the game when Sharks fullback Will Kennedy was charged for making contact with Gee.

Kennedy was streaming downfield in support of Kayal Iro when Gee appeared to change directions in a bid to move out of the way. But Gee inadvertently moved straight into Kennedy's path, and the Sharks fullback clattered into the back of him.

Kennedy was subsequently hit with a contrary conduct charge, which Cronulla great Paul Gallen labelled 'insane'. On Monday the Sharks announced they'd accepted a one-game suspension rather than fight the charge and risk two games out.

Graham Annesley says both decisions were correct

Both decisions sparked widespread backlash, but Annesley is now facing even more pressure after backing the contentious calls on Monday. In his weekly briefing with the media, Annesley said the NRL had a responsibility to match officials around the country to ban Kennedy.

"We can never get to a stage where we make it permissible to move a referee out of the way, regardless of if he is in the way or not," the NRL's head of football said. "The ramifications of that ... (would carry to) anyone with an axe to grind in a local park

"It's not very hard to get yourself into a position where you can have the referee between you and the ball or a defender. And the next thing you know is there is a collision, and 'oh sorry, it was an accident'.

"They would say 'you don't get in trouble for hitting the referee in the NRL, why am I getting charged for hitting a referee in the local park?' We can never get to that stage."

The NRL's football boss was adamant the contact being accidental was not an excuse. "We have to have rules in place that discourage it from happening," Annesley said. "Most charges in our game are for accidental actions. High tackles are not deliberate.

"We don't just set aside a high tackle that hits someone right across the chops and we say it was an accident. No one is saying this is deliberate. But when the outcome is heavy contact like this on match officials, then we can't just set it aside for saying it is accidental."

RELATED:

• Nathan Cleary set for NRL return amid big Mary Fowler development

• Cameron Smith makes massive call amid debate on NRL's next Immortal

• Anthony Seibold sends pointed message to Manly fans about Des Hasler

Graham Annesley cops backlash over Tigers and Sharks response

Annesley also declared that Koroisau wasn't square at marker and the decision to sin-bin him was correct. But that comes in complete contrast to what some of the game's leading commentators said about the incident.

“Frustrating for Api Koroisau, who wanted to challenge that he didn’t get square. It would be a fair challenge if he did,” Corey Parker said on Fox League. “He was standing there in front. (Braydon) Trindall (who played the ball) rocks out to his left. I would suggest, in my opinion, Api Koroisau was standing in front.”

Souths hooker Damien Cook also disagreed with the decision. “After a great chase I feel like Api’s got himself square enough there, and if he allows whoeever jumped out at nine another step he’s passed Api then,” Cook said on Fox League. “I think he (Api) did everything right. Bit harsh to be in the bin.”