Jason Ryles made his final remarks memorable as he departed from the press conference.
After the Parramatta coach sat through a punishing 36-14 defeat against the Warriors, he took a moment to turn the microphone back on before leaving.
"No questions on the officiating?" he remarked.
This comment, a pointed critique, was delivered with nonchalance but carried significant weight.
His indirect reference to referee Gerard Sutton lacked detail yet was heavy with implications, and the statistics provided some insight into his frustration.
The Eels were penalized eight times, while the Warriors faced just three penalties, a disparity that evidently bothered Ryles despite his team having fewer ruck issues than New Zealand, which had seven penalties.
Ryles was cautious, acknowledging that the blame could not solely fall on the refereeing choices, admitting that his team had also made critical mistakes.
"I don't think the score line reflected the fight and the effort that we displayed tonight," Ryles shared.
"A lot of the fundamental errors, and I'm not saying just with the ball, but the escort penalties and the kick-pressure penalties hurt us."
His comments emphasized the need for introspection despite the officiating frustrations, highlighting the responsibility his team bore in the loss.