Interim Warriors coach Todd Payten has made his feelings heard after his side's valiant 24-18 loss to the Parramatta Eels in New South Wales yesterday.
Payten hit out at officials after Jazz Tevaga was sin-binned for seemingly punching Eels lock Nathan Brown in the first half of the match on the Central Coast.
"I thought it was the wrong call... Jazz has had his jersey and he was just trying to push him off with his (Brown's) jersey in his hand."
"In the context of the game it was huge and it was the wrong call, in my opinion."
"If anything, both (Tevaga and Brown) should have been sent to the bin".
Payten refused to put the incident down as an excuse for the loss but admitted being reduced to 12 players hindered their performance.
He was joined by a chorus of disgruntled members of the NRL community, frustrated by referee Grant Atkins' decision.
Veteran commentator Andrew Voss described the incident as the “worst sin-binning I've ever seen”.
"If that's the benchmark for a sin-bin ... rugby league has changed forever".
Former Warrior and Broncos hooker Issac Luke joined in the conversation on social media, calling the call a joke and saying the NRL was becoming soft.
The defeat leaves the Warriors in 10th spot on the NRL ladder, four points off the eighth placed Cronulla Sharks.
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