Low on morale, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon expressed his deep disappointment regarding the officiating of the NRL bunker after a narrow 24-20 defeat to the Melbourne Storm.
As his team prepares for an elimination final against the Cowboys next week, Fitzgibbon was notably critical of key officiating decisions, particularly a forward pass during the Storm's opening try and a controversial reversal leading to Sua Faalogo's try.
"We did everything we could to win the game, the only thing telling us lies is the scoreboard," Fitzgibbon remarked post-match.
He expressed frustration, suggesting that the bunker's role raised more confusion than clarity. "Sometimes it's not the ref, either," he pointed out, highlighting the potential pitfalls of relying on the bunker for crucial calls.
Fitzgibbon emphasized the importance of calling out clear infractions, remarking, "If you don't know what a forward pass looks like at this current point of your career, I don't know either." He felt confident in his team's performance that day, stating, "I just thought we'd played well enough to win the game today. And then you have that."
Despite his frustrations, Fitzgibbon acknowledged that voicing complaints would not alter the upcoming match's outcome. "It's not going to change what happens next week either... I don't want to challenge the integrity of the game, but I would like to see the integrity of the game remain what it should be," he said.
As the 5th-placed Sharks get ready to face the 8th-placed Cowboys, match details are pending confirmation from the NRL.