The Warriors' uneasy relationship with NRL officials this season has taken another turn today after a "demoted" referee who botched a crucial game last week was assigned to their upcoming game against the Titans.
The Kiwi NRL club has been on the short end of officials' calls on numerous occasions this season, including an uncalled forward pass that robbed them of a win against the Sharks last month and, as coach Stephen Kearney described it, inconsistent officiating in last weekend's 12-6 loss to the Storm.
Now, the Warriors' upcoming clash against the Titans has been labelled as a "lower-profile match" in an official NRL statement that under-fire referee Gerard Sutton has been assigned to officiate.
Sutton was the only referee to survive the axing from last week's controversial game between the Raiders and Sharks with Gavin Reynolds and Ricky MacFarlane dropped for their game-changing errors in the match.
Sutton was spared despite playing a crucial roll in a botched call late in the game where he initially put the whistle in his mouth to blow up a knock-on but let play continue leading to decisive try for the Sharks on the same play.
Now, the Australian ref has been given this Sunday's game at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
The NRL's classification of the Warriors' match against the Titans has since copped backlash from players and pundits alike.
Warriors hooker Issac Luke wrote in a since-deleted tweet the governing body was rude to both teams with the comment.
"What an insult. @NRL uppercut yourself. That's disrespectful to both teams. Lessssssgoooo Boys," Luke wrote.
Australian broadcaster Phil Gould slammed the NRL as well.
"To describe it as demotion is demeaning to teams involved," Gould wrote.
"It highlights naivety, insensitivity, inexperience. All the things that have referees in the situation they currently find themselves. All this can be fixed. I honestly believe it. But I can't see these people fixing it."
The Warriors' twitter account, which has been outspoken this week after calling out the referees' missed high tackle by Storm star Cam Smith on Sunday, also chipped in.
Sunday's game kicks off at 4pm NZT with Phil Henderson joining Sutton as the other ref for the match.
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