Referee Ashley Klein talks with Clinton Gutherson of the Eels during the 2022 NRL Grand Final. Photo / Getty
Referee Ashley Klein talks with Clinton Gutherson of the Eels during the 2022 NRL Grand Final. Photo / Getty
The Warriors haven’t had either of the top two NRL referees officiate their matches since 2021.
Ashley Klein and Gerard Sutton weren’t appointed to control a Warriors game during the whole of last season, and neither have been in the middle of a Warriors clash in the first 10 roundsthis year.
It’s a remarkable statistic.
All the talk and hyperbole over the past week about alleged bias and decisions and inconsistency has missed one of the most crucial points — the allocation of NRL referees.
It’s not about questioning the merits or ability of individual whistlers, as they are all highly skilled, especially since the NRL moved to create a professional squad.
But within the referee hierarchy, Klein and Sutton are well above the pack.
Sutton has been in charge of six grand finals, including every decider between 2017 and 2021, as well as 19 State of Origin games. He also controlled the 2017 World Cup final.
Klein’s resume last year included the entire Origin series, the grand final between Penrith and Parramatta and the World Cup final featuring Australia and Samoa, along with the semifinal clash between the Kangaroos and Kiwis.
He has looked after 10 Origin matches and been a full-time referee for almost two decades, also controlling the 2008 World Cup climax in Brisbane.
But neither of the duo have been in the middle for a Warriors match in 2023.
In contrast, between them, the pair have officiated the Broncos and the Rabbitohs on five occasions. The figure is four for Parramatta while the Sharks, Panthers, Roosters, Raiders, Cowboys are among teams with three.
Only three of the 17 NRL clubs — the Tigers, Titans and Warriors — have yet to have either Klein or Sutton on the field.
Former Warriors prop Matt Lodge is sent to the sin bin by referee Ashley Klein in 2021. Photo / Photosport
The top pair were also absent as on-field referees for Warriors matches in 2022, a season when the team played all but four of their games in Australia.
The last time Klein was in charge of a fixture involving the Auckland club was in 2021, in the round-25 clash with the Titans.
The 44-year-old Sutton hasn’t refereed a game featuring the Warriors for almost four years, since the August 2019 match at Cronulla.
The pair did appear as video referees for Warriors matches last year, with Klein in the bunker for five Warriors games and Sutton three, but have not been in the bunker for a Warriors clash in 2023.
Refereeing allocations are a complicated business and the NRL have their top whistlers set aside for the highest profile games each week.
There are complex logistics around travel and the governing body also like to use their top men in the bunker, to vary the matrix of experience between on-field and video referee.
As an example, Sutton was the senior review official for the Broncos trip to Melbourne last night, while tonight’s blockbuster between the Panthers and the Roosters features both Sutton (on field) and Klein (bunker).
But it’s a jarring stat that neither referee has looked after any of the Warriors’ last 34 matches.
It will reinforce an impression, especially among sections of the fanbase, that the Warriors are often an afterthought.
Experience counts with the whistle, particularly as matches seem to get faster every year and Klein has officiated more than 350 NRL matches, on top of a six-year career in Super League and numerous representative fixtures.
Sutton reached the 350 NRL game mark recently, while some of the officials in charge of Warriors games this season have been in charge of just 20 or 30 NRL matches.
However, the Warriors’ squad won’t be dwelling on the drama and debate that has fuelled the NRL news cycle this week, as they are solely focused on a positive result against the Bulldogs (tonight, 8pm), after three successive defeats.
Coach Andrew Webster is satisfied with the response since the Penrith loss and has no fear of any distractions for the playing group.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to just put the noise aside and say, ‘Okay, let’s go and have our best performance of the season,” said Webster.
Centre Rocco Berry will start his first NRL match in almost a year while Dylan Walker returns to his interchange forward position after a four-game stint in the halves.
It means Ronald Volkman comes in at No 6, for just his fourth NRL appearance, while Webster saying the 20-year-old would have a “simple and clear” plan to follow.
After a strong start to the season, with three wins from their first five games and the close loss at Mt Smart, the Bulldogs have struggled for results since.
But the early season win in Melbourne illustrated their potential and they have plenty of attacking threats.
“They’ve been in almost every contest — they’ve been extremely competitive,” said Webster. “There’s so much speed in their side. I feel like if you open the door slightly they’ll take it.”
