League: Fans fuming but Freddy backs referees

Blues coach Brad "Freddy" Fittler was more critical than Maroons mentor Kevin Walters of the referees' performance in their post-game State of Origin assessments despite fans blowing up on social media about blunders which appeared to favour NSW.

Walters said his team had to learn from the 4-1 penalty count that went against his team.
"I thought they did a good job," Fittler said.

"Watching the Queensland guys come off the line, they're just really good at slowing us down and coming off their line. They've been doing it for a long time. They're really good at it.

"In the past it's been obvious, but tonight as a team they did a really good job of it. I'd love to get our team to do that. I thought their back five or back three got out of their end a lot easier than ours.

"I don't know if there were many decisions that the referees had to really call on.

"There was the [Dane] Gagai one."

Queensland fans were ropeable about the ball being reefed from Gagai's grasp in what was ruled a loose carry, giving momentum to NSW.

Fans and commentators were far more furious over the blatant James Maloney forward pass that led to Josh Addo-Carr's match-sealing try in the 68th minute. The Blues five-eighth's cut-out ball to Addo-Carr appeared to travel 4m forward.