Rugby league: Former Warriors coach Mark Graham claims NRL official used racial slur against player

Former Warriors coach Mark Graham has claimed that there is an inherent bias against the club, and has alleged that one of his players was called a racial slur by an NRL referee.

The Warriors have been subject to several contentious calls in recent weeks, especially in their narrow 24-22 loss to the Eels last month.

Graham, 63, who coached the Warriors in their 1999 and 2000 seasons, says an unconscious bias against the New Zealand club is still felt today – adding that disrespect and prejudice is now simply "part of the game".

"I knew that every game we ran out we were playing uphill and were likely going to get a bad rub of the green," Graham told Stuff.

"We have always had a rough go of it but it has become ridiculous.

"That incident all those years ago was probably one of many, and that is sad.

"The club still feel the effects of all that crap and unless heads roll at the top, they will continue to."

Dejected Warriors players. Photo / Photosport

That particular incident involved a player of Polynesian descent who was sent off for foul play, a controversial call which led to even uglier scenes.

According to Stuff, the officials were discussing the call as they headed up to the sheds – forgetting that their microphones were still switched on – when one referee used racial slurs to describe the player in question.

"They were talking and one said 'did you think it was really that high?', and someone responded 'who cares he's just a b**** c***," said Graham, who was handed a piece of the audio afterwards.

"I was very angry, disappointed. It saddened me because that's the way a team who were always so respectful to referees were spoken about."

Former Warriors coach Mark Graham in 2001. Photo / Photosport

Former Warriors CEO Trevor McKewen said he raised the issue with the NRL but was disappointed with the response.

"Once we complained to the NRL, they were more concerned about how I had come to hear it [the audio] rather than the issue of what was said, and that really frustrated me," McKewen told Stuff.

"It turned into a s*** fight basically, but we held our ground because we felt that what was said and the way it was said was not on."

McKewen echoed Graham's sentiments regarding NRL officials, saying there is no conspiracy against the Warriors but that many officials have a "subconscious" bias against the Kiwi side.

"I do think referees take the easy option on a lot of 50/50 calls, subconsciously, which is to ping the Warriors," McKewen said.

"The reality is we are a Kiwi club in an Australian competition and I believe it's a disrespect that has always been there."

The player at the centre of the racial slur reportedly didn't want to take the issue further in fear of word getting back to his family.