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Tigers CEO: NRL refs have inherent bias against lower teams
Jasper Bruce, AAP • June 13th, 2025 9:30 pm
Wests Tigers chief Shane Richardson is disappointed by some of the decisions against his side | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson has made the sensational claim that referees have an inherent bias against teams that are lower on the NRL ladder.
Richardson doubled down on coach Benji Marshall's post-match critique that the Tigers were hard done by the match officials in Sunday's 18-14 loss to Penrith.
In particular, Marshall said a kick-pressure penalty against Jarome Luai was "outrageous" and that another offside call against the halfback was "bad".
On Friday, Richardson ventured that rebuilding teams such as the 13th-placed Tigers, wooden spooners the past three seasons, were likelier to be penalised than more successful sides.
"I thought there were some pretty ordinary refereeing decisions (in the Panthers game) that certainly had an effect on us," he said on the Tigers' Behind The Roar podcast.
Shane Richardson says rebuilding teams are more likely to be penalised | Photo: Steven Markham/AAP
"I've learned over the years, though, that refereeing decisions never really go your way when you're battling up the ladder.
"For some reason referees - and they're humans - they feel that the better teams are going to make better mistakes, less mistakes, when really that's not the case. But it is what it is."
But at time of writing, the Tigers are penalised on average only the sixth-most of the 17 NRL teams, leaking 5.85 per game to sit behind ladder-leading Canberra (6.14) and perennially successful Melbourne (5.92) for the statistic.
Former Penrith, Cronulla and South Sydney chief executive Richardson claimed becoming a good team would help the Tigers receive more penalties.
West Tigers have been the most penalised team this NRL season | Photo: Mark Evans/AAP
"You've got to become one of the better teams to get some more of the rub of the green," he said.
Richardson confirmed new train-and-trial signing Taylan May would need at least three weeks before making a possible return to rugby league via NSW Cup.
May's domestic violence charges were dropped in March when his wife, whom he was accused of punching, did not turn up to court.
It was the latest in a number of off-field indiscretions for the 23-year-old outside back, who was released by Penrith last year.
"Taylan's been through a few battles in recent times. We're more than happy to give him the opportunity to re-establish himself in rugby league," Richardson said.
"He's got a long row to hoe. He'll be at least three or four weeks training before he plays, then obviously he'll come back through second grade and then we'll see what happens from there.
"If he finds his best again, and he's only young, he's certainly one of the best centres in the game."
The Tigers hit their round-15 bye on a four-game losing streak, but three of those defeats have come by 10 points or fewer.
Richardson was happy with the club's progress.
"I'm very, very comfortable, not with 5-8 (their record), neither would you be as fans and members, but the reality is that, as a team, we're improving all the time," he said.
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