LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
'Outrageous': Referee Ash Klein slammed for call that 'put a dampener on the game'
The Rugby League community is in shock over a controversial decision that essentially sealed the fate of Friday night's qualifying final.
According to a report by news.com.au, Roosters head coach Trent Robinson and skipper James Tedesco didn't mince words when criticizing referee Ashley Klein for a forward pass call that dashed any hopes of a Roosters comeback in their 30-10 defeat to the Panthers.
After a stellar first half where the Panthers surged to a commanding 24-0 lead at halftime, the Roosters came out swinging in the second half.
In a valiant effort to rally back, the Roosters managed to score early in the second half with tries from Joseph Sua'ali'i and James Tedesco, narrowing the gap to 24-10 with plenty of time left on the clock.
With the Roosters gaining momentum, they appeared to have a chance to narrow the deficit even further with 17 minutes remaining as Daniel Tupou passed the ball back to Tedesco, setting up Sua'ali'i for what seemed like a clear run to the try line with no Panthers defenders in sight.