NRL: Finch backs under-fire referees

SYDNEY - Referees coach Robert Finch has thrown his support behind under-fire Matt Cecchin after his controversial decision to award Gold Coast a last-minute, matchwinning penalty in the Titans' 18-17 win over Manly on Sunday.

Cecchin was slammed by Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler after he ruled Matt Orford impeded Preston Campbell, allowing Scott Prince to kick a simple goal from close range, but Finch said that it was incorrect to blame the two referees system.

He also said it was wrong to suggest Cecchin was a junior referee as he was graded in 2001, has officiated at grand finals and State of Origin and has over 30 first grade games as the central referee.

"The decision he made yesterday was an incredibly tough call to make and whichever way he went someone was going to criticise the outcome, most predictably whichever side lost the game," Finch said.

"There was only one guy out there who had the job of deciding whether Orford tried to take Campbell out in attempting to get to the ball.

"This is not a situation where I can say the referee was categorically right or wrong. There's no doubt, however, that he interpreted the events on the basis of having done everything correctly."

Finch also backed the decision by Jared Maxwell to sin bin Benji Marshall in Friday's clash between Wests Tigers and Brisbane for repeated infringements.

"The decision was not a reaction to anything in the media but it is interesting to note that it's only a couple of weeks ago that referees were being attacked for giving warnings and not following them through," Finch said.

"No referee enjoys sin-binning a player in such a circumstance but in conditions like that it is just as important not to have games decided by players who are prepared to risk penalty after penalty to disrupt the opposition.

"There is no doubt that he was in the best position to make judgment and it is a judgment people should accept in a professional manner."

Finch stood down video referee Steve Clark after a wrong decision in the Bulldogs and St George Illawarra clash last week, but said this week's criticism had been unfair.

"We put our hand up last week over the Steve Clark decision but since then and into today I have heard criticism that is not fair," he said.

"Again, it's only a few weeks ago people were trying to attack referees for not making decisions late in matches.

"The silly thing about some of what is being said in the aftermath is that if we had still had one referee he would have been in a significantly worse position to make that decision than Matt was yesterday."

- AAP