Broncos’ Maguire shrugs at prelim final penalty count
Jasper Bruce |
Brisbane coach Michael Maguire does not care if the referees turn the second NRL preliminary final into a penalty-fest after a controversially busy night for the match officials in the first.
Veteran referee Ashley Klein blew a total of 18 penalties during Melbourne’s defeat of Cronulla in the first grand-final qualifier on Friday night, 10 of those coming in the first half-hour alone.
The last preliminary final to feature as many penalties was Melbourne’s defeat of Canberra in 2016, so long ago that only one Storm player from that win remains on the roster.
No Sharks game this year has featured as many penalties as the preliminary final, with Craig Fitzgibbon frustrated by the number at full-time.
“I am not sooking about the ref, Melbourne were the better side hands down,” the coach said.
“But the first half was 22 minutes of ball in play. What are we doing for a prelim? What do the fans want? You want to see ball in play.”
But if referee Grant Atkins is similarly enthusiastic in the Broncos’ preliminary final against Penrith on Sunday, Maguire will be unfazed.
“I don’t care what the game looks like, so long as our players execute what they need to I will be happy,” he said.
“We are all fit and raring to go. They have had a good prep, the extended time we have had, the boys are in good shape.”
A freer-flowing game would suit the Panthers, who struggled to get in their groove amid multiple stoppages early in the week-one final defeat of the Warriors.
The Panthers went scoreless conceding five penalties in the first 25 minutes of that game but gave up only three for the remainder of the contest as they stormed away to a 16-point win.
Co-captain Isaah Yeo conceded a game of fewer stoppages would be ideal for Penrith, but said there were times on Friday the Storm and Sharks left Klein with no choice other than to intervene.
“Some (penalties) were self-induced, for sure,” the lock forward told AAP.
“There were some where Ashley had to blow it, but you certainly want more ball in play. Particularly at this time of year you want that, all the viewers like that.
“The players, for the most part, like it as well.”
Yeo said it was up to the Panthers to ensure the penalty count was low.
“A lot of their ones with ill discipline were deep in yardage, so you’re just letting it out. There wasn’t any of that flow to it,” he said.
“We’d certainly like to make sure our discipline is on tomorrow and keep the ball in play.”
AAP
