The NRL has backed in Kasey Badger, retaining the referee for this weekend’s matches despite heavy scrutiny in round nine.
NRL icon Billy Slater has criticized fans who targeted referee Kasey Badger with abusive comments following the clash between the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs in round nine. Slater, who coaches the Maroons, admonished those who hid behind keyboards, urging them to step up and officiate if they believe they can do better than Badger.
Badger found herself in the spotlight due to contentious decisions and confrontations with players during the intense match. The fallout led to fines totaling $11,800 and scrutiny of Badger’s performance. This isn’t the first time Badger has faced criticism; previous rounds also saw backlash from fans and coaches like Des Hasler. However, despite the scrutiny, the NRL has reaffirmed its trust in Badger by appointing her as referee for round 10’s clash between the Sydney Roosters and Warriors.
Slater emphasized the need to halt the abuse directed at referees, particularly Badger. He urged critics to either step up and officiate or refrain from cowardly online abuse. He emphasized the importance of referees to the game, labeling such behavior as cowardly and unjustified.
Graham Annesley insists ref abuse isn’t ‘gender-specific’
Annesley emphasized that referee abuse is not limited to any specific gender and stressed the need for NRL fans and players to accept that errors are inherent in the game. He highlighted that mistakes made by referees are not influenced by their gender.
Annesley reiterated that referees make mistakes because they are human and emphasized the unrealistic expectation for them to be flawless. He directed his message to coaches, players, and club officials, urging them to demonstrate greater tolerance towards human errors, whether directed at the commission, CEO, referees, or the bunker.
