News The best and worst referee for every NRL club to play under

[2144superman]

The best and worst referee for every NRL club to play under
NRL referees claim they have no favourites, or vendettas - but the statistics don’t lie, PAUL CRAWLEY reveals the referees your club loves and those they just can’t beat.

Paul Crawley


After another round of referee outrage, we’ve gone to the stats to determine which whistleblowers rank best and worst for every NRL team.

With the help of Fox Sports Stats, we’ve gone back to 2020 when the set restart rule was introduced, while calculating penalties received and conceded for this season, along with six-again restarts.
What isn’t included is at what point during any given match decisions were made, or where on the field, and how that impacted the run of play.

But it certainly paints an overall picture that will cause plenty of debate among fans in the countdown to the big end-of-season matches.

* Stats only include refs who have officiated those teams on five or more occasions, with exception of Dolphins that are based on 2023 season.



BRONCOS
Best: Peter Gough 85.7% (7 games, 6 wins), Gerard Sutton 58.3 (12 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 21.4% (14 games, 3 wins), Grant Atkins 40% (15 games, 6 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.6 conceded (equal 10th)

Average set restarts: 2.7 awarded (equal 3rd), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: Adam Gee is to the Broncos what kryptonite is to Superman with 11 losses from 14 games. And wouldn’t you know it, guess who the Broncos have for Friday night’s blockbuster against the Eels at the Gabba? We should point out that the Eels also have their worst record in recent seasons under Gee (3 wins from 9). At the other end of the scale Broncos fans would be riding Peter Gough all the way to the grand final if they make it that far, with only 1 loss under Gough in 7 games since 2020.

RAIDERS
Best: Chris Sutton 91.7% (12 games, 11 wins), Peter Gough 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Gerard Sutton 40% (15 games, 6 wins), Grant Atkins 50% (16 games, 8 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.9 conceded (equal 13th)

Average set restarts: 2.5 awarded (5th), 2.5 conceded (equal 11th)

Verdict: You wouldn’t blame Ricky Stuart for letting Chris Sutton blow the Viking Horn next time he arrives in the nation’s capital, but it might be a different reception for brother Gerard. The Raiders have only lost 1 of 12 games under Chris in 3 seasons, but lost 9 of 15 under Gerard. While Grant Atkins and Adam Gee rank equal next worst at 50%.

BULLDOGS
Best: Ben Cummins 33.3% (12 games, 4 wins), Ashley Klein 33.3% (6 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 0% (6 games, 0 wins), Chris Sutton 11.1% (9 games, 1 win)

Average penalties 2023: 5.6 received (equal 7th), 6.7 conceded (17th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 1.9 conceded (4th)

Verdict: The struggling Dogs don’t have a great record regardless of who is in charge. But the stats suggest their best hope is when either Ben Cummins or Ashley Klein are in charge. They have their worst record under Gee, winless in all 6 games since 2020, while losing 8 of 9 under Chris Sutton. The Dogs also rank last this season on penalties conceded.

SHARKS
Best: Chris Sutton 84.6% (13 games, 11 wins), Todd Smith 71.4% (7 games, 5 wins)

Worst: Grant Atkins 30% (10 games, 3 wins), Ben Cummins 30% (10 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.2 received (4th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: It’s astonishing comparing the stats certain teams have under certain referees. Just look at the Sharks’ 84.6 percentage under Chris Sutton as opposed to the 30 per cent under Atkins and Cummins. That’s not suggesting any favouritism, it’s just stating a fact. The Sharks also have a pretty ordinary record under Ashley Klein (38.5), who they have for Friday night’s game against the Titans.
DOLPHINS
Best: Chris Butler 100% (3 games, 3 wins), Adam Gee 66.7% (3 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Peter Gough 0% (4 games, 0 wins), Gerard Sutton 0% (2 games, 0 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.4 received (10th), 5.6 conceded (equal 10th)

Average set restarts: 1.8 awarded (16th), 1.6 conceded (equal 1st)

Verdict: Perhaps a classic case of stats only telling part of the story. While the Dolphins have the perfect strike rate under Butler, those 3 wins were in the opening 8 rounds (against the Roosters, Knights and Titans) when the Dolphins started hot. In comparison, 3 of the 4 losses under Gough have been since round 17 against the Eels, Broncos and Bulldogs. The other was in round 9 against the Raiders.

TITANS
Best: Peter Gough 50% (8 games, 4 wins), Todd Smith 50% (6 games, 3 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 20% (10 games, 2 wins), Chris Butler 23.1% (13 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.6 received (2nd), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 1.6 awarded (17th), 2.9 conceded (14th)

Verdict: When your luck’s out, your luck’s out. And while the Titans don’t have a better than 50 per cent record under any ref, what I find just as interesting is they rank second in penalties awarded this season. I mention this because they sure could have done with one extra call during the recent loss to the Eels (under Butler) when Tanah Boyd had a late field goal attempt charged down. Of course, that came the week after the Dolphins were awarded a late penalty in almost identical circumstances against the Titans.

SEA EAGLES
Best: Chris Butler 60% (5 games, 3 wins), Peter Gough 60% (5 games, 3 wins)

Worst: Chris Sutton 20% (5 games, 1 wins), Ashley Klein 36.4% (11 games, 4 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 8 received (1st), 5.1 conceded (2nd)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 3.2 conceded (17th)

Verdict: Talk about a controversial early season loss coming back to bite a team in the countdown to the finals. While the Sea Eagles go best under Butler and Gough, they seriously struggle when Chris Sutton’s holding the whistle. And one Sutton loss that stands out was when the Sea Eagles were robbed of a try for a so-called forward pass back in the round four 13-12 golden point loss to the Rabbitohs that the NRL later conceded was wrong. Those two lost competition points would have them in the top eight now. Ouch.

STORM
Best: Ben Cummins 83.3% (6 games, 5 wins), Peter Gough 83.3% (6 games, 5 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 53.8% (13 games, 7 wins), Ashley Klein 64.7% (17 games, 11 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.7 received (equal 5th), 6.4 conceded (15th)

Average set restarts: 3 awarded (1st), 3.1 conceded (16th)

Verdict: Here’s one for the conspiracy theorists because we would never accuse any ref of holding a grudge. But the stats show that since Brandon Smith got in strife for calling Gee a “cheating bastard” last July in a loss to the Sharks, the Storm have also lost their next 5 under the same man. While those defeats didn’t exactly come against the easiest opposition, it’s still an interesting stat when you’re talking about a team as successful as the Storm, who are 83.3 per cent under Cummins.

KNIGHTS
Best: Grant Atkins 70% (10 games, 7 wins), Peter Gough 58.3% (12 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Chris Sutton 28.6% (7 games, 2 wins), Chris Butler 28.6% (7 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.7 received (equal 5th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.1 awarded (12th), 2.3 conceded (10th)

Verdict: As the Knights make a late charge to the finals, they’d be hoping they get their share of games under Atkins given their 70 per cent strike rate with him. Not that we’re suggesting there was any bias when Atkins was in charge in Perth last weekend and a really tough call went the Knights’ way, after Herman Ese’ese was pinged for holding a player back in a scrum that denied the Dolphins at the death. While it was technically the correct call, NRL head of football Graham Annesley later conceded it was “a very harsh penalty”.

COWBOYS
Best: Chris Butler 75% (8 games, 6 wins), Grant Atkins 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Ben Cummins 10% (10 games, 1 win), Chris Sutton 18.2% (11 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.5 received (9th), 5.8 conceded (12th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 2.2 conceded (9th)

Verdict: While the Cowboys have clearly their best record under Butler, they have also won 66.6 per cent of their games during this period under both Atkins and Peter Gough. While their worst record is by far under Ben Cummins at 10 per cent, and 18.2 under Chris Sutton. Ashley Klein and Gerard Sutton are next but at a significantly better percentage of 44.4 (5 losses from 9 games under both).

EELS
Best: Peter Gough 80% (5 games, 4 wins), Ben Cummins 77.8% (9 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 33.3% (9 games, 3 wins), Grant Atkins 46.7% (15 games, 7 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 4.4 received (17th), 5 conceded (1st)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 1.8 conceded (3rd)

Verdict: It’s a lineball call if the Eels have got the rub of the green by getting Gee for this round’s potentially season-defining showdown with the Broncos. While the Broncos have their worst record when Gee is officiating, so do the Eels. On the flip side, the Eels have their best winning percentage under Gough and Cummins. Interestingly, the Eels rank worst in penalties awarded this year, but best in penalties conceded.

PANTHERS
Best: Chris Butler 100% (6 games, 6 wins), Adam Gee 93.3% (15 games, 14 wins)

Worst: Todd Smith 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins), Gerard Sutton 69.6% (23 games, 16 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.4 received (3rd), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 2.7 awarded (equal 3rd), 2.7 conceded (13th)

Verdict: If there is one man more important to the Panthers than Nathan Cleary it’s referee Butler, who some rival fans have jokingly nicknamed “Mr 100%”. Not that the Panthers have a bad record with any of the whistleblowers. In fact, Smith (who they have their worst record under) was at the centre of the post Magic Round blow up this year after sensational cheating allegations from a Warriors’ sponsor were later withdrawn.

RABBITOHS
Best: Ben Cummins 91.7% (12 games, 11 wins), Adam Gee 80% (5 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Grant Atkins 38.9% (18 games, 7 wins), Ashley Klein 50% (18 games, 9 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.1 received (15th), 5.4 conceded (6th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 2.1 conceded (8th)

Verdict: This time of the season you take all the luck you can get. And with the Rabbitohs walking the finals tightrope, maybe they got a pre-match boost with their No 1 ref Cummins appointed for Saturday’s showdown with the Dragons. Under Cummins the Rabbitohs only have 1 loss in their last 12 games. As opposed to 11 losses in 18 games under Atkins. Souths have their next worst record under Klein who is currently ranked the game’s No 1.

DRAGONS
Best: Ben Cummins 70% (10 games, 7 wins), Peter Gough 42.9% (14 games, 6 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 20% (10 games, 2 wins), Grant Atkins 27.3% (11 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.9 conceded (equal 13th)

Average set restarts: 2.4 awarded (equal 6th), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: Like the Rabbitohs, the Dragons also have their best record under Cummins, and by a long way. In the last three years they have won 70 per cent of matches under Cummins, compared to their next best which is 42.9 per cent under Gough. Then it goes 40 per cent under Gerard Sutton, 33.3 under Chris Sutton, 27.3 under Atkins and down to 20 per cent under Gee. Upon further reflection, maybe the refs have little to do with the Dragons’ results in recent years.

ROOSTERS
Best: Grant Atkins 76.5% (17 games, 13 wins), Ben Cummins 66.7% (9 games, 6 wins)

Worst: Gerard Sutton 31.3% (16 games, 5 wins), Ashley Klein 52.6% (19 games, 10 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5 received (16th), 6.5 conceded (16th)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 2.5 conceded (equal 11th)

Verdict: No wonder Roosters fans get their noses out of joint when it comes to Gerard Sutton who they have lost 11 of their last 16 games under. One call that sticks out like a sore thumb was the game-changing penalty last July when Sam Verrills made a textbook tackle but somehow Panther Scott Sorensen still nosedived into the turf. That was the one that Trent Robinson labelled a “horrible decision” after Viliame Kikau scored the next set. On the flip side their ‘best ref’ Atkins even put his body on the line and made a try saving tackle for the Chooks this year to stop Broncos Tyson Smoothy from scoring.


WARRIORS
Best: Adam Gee 57.1% (7 games, 4 wins), Chris Sutton 53.8% (13 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Chris Butler 33.3% (12 games, 4 wins), Grant Atkins 33.3% (6 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.6 received (equal 7th), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 2.4 awarded (equal 6th), 2.9 conceded (equal 14th)

Verdict: It caused a hell of a stir a few months back when a Warriors sponsor labelled the refs cheats before retracting his statement. While that was totally out of line, just looking at their record under all refs in recent years certainly makes for pretty grim reading for Warriors fans. The best winning percentage under Gee isn’t exactly what you’d call flash, while you just have to go back to this year’s controversial Anzac Day loss to the Storm to remember why Warriors fans aren’t among the Atkins fan club.

TIGERS
Best: Adam Gee 45.5% (11 games, 5 wins), Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski 40% (5 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Ben Cummins 7.7% (13 games, 1 win), Peter Gough 12.5% (8 games, 1 win)
Average penalties 2023: 5.2 received (14th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.9 awarded (2nd), 1.6 conceded (1st)

Verdict: One of the best disciplined sides this year when it comes to penalties and set restarts conceded, not that you’d know it by their record under all refs in recent years. Just go back to last round when they copped some shocking calls under their second worst ref Gough in the loss to the Raiders, including that forward pass howler from Jack Wighton that led to a Seb Kris try. Still, you can’t put it all down to bad calls from refs when your team is closing in on back-to-back wooden spoons.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/the-best-and-worst-referee-for-every-nrl-club-to-play-under/news-story/fe6d23193f7a0386753736c78ab5bb5e

 

[dogon]

Knights have their second best winning referee this weekend at 58.3%

 

[Scoooby]

Be interesting to use this as a guide/check list this weekend, and see if the stats compare, if so then it’s open corruption lol. Thanks for the tips

 

[Freakzilla]

Penalties & 6 again stats are useless. In many games the ref just starts giving the Bulldogs those in the last 20 minutes of the game when it's already over to make it look fairer.

 

[Indiandog]

The best and worst referee for every NRL club to play under
NRL referees claim they have no favourites, or vendettas - but the statistics don’t lie, PAUL CRAWLEY reveals the referees your club loves and those they just can’t beat.

Paul Crawley


After another round of referee outrage, we’ve gone to the stats to determine which whistleblowers rank best and worst for every NRL team.

With the help of Fox Sports Stats, we’ve gone back to 2020 when the set restart rule was introduced, while calculating penalties received and conceded for this season, along with six-again restarts.
What isn’t included is at what point during any given match decisions were made, or where on the field, and how that impacted the run of play.

But it certainly paints an overall picture that will cause plenty of debate among fans in the countdown to the big end-of-season matches.

* Stats only include refs who have officiated those teams on five or more occasions, with exception of Dolphins that are based on 2023 season.



BRONCOS
Best: Peter Gough 85.7% (7 games, 6 wins), Gerard Sutton 58.3 (12 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 21.4% (14 games, 3 wins), Grant Atkins 40% (15 games, 6 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.6 conceded (equal 10th)

Average set restarts: 2.7 awarded (equal 3rd), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: Adam Gee is to the Broncos what kryptonite is to Superman with 11 losses from 14 games. And wouldn’t you know it, guess who the Broncos have for Friday night’s blockbuster against the Eels at the Gabba? We should point out that the Eels also have their worst record in recent seasons under Gee (3 wins from 9). At the other end of the scale Broncos fans would be riding Peter Gough all the way to the grand final if they make it that far, with only 1 loss under Gough in 7 games since 2020.

RAIDERS
Best: Chris Sutton 91.7% (12 games, 11 wins), Peter Gough 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Gerard Sutton 40% (15 games, 6 wins), Grant Atkins 50% (16 games, 8 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.9 conceded (equal 13th)

Average set restarts: 2.5 awarded (5th), 2.5 conceded (equal 11th)

Verdict: You wouldn’t blame Ricky Stuart for letting Chris Sutton blow the Viking Horn next time he arrives in the nation’s capital, but it might be a different reception for brother Gerard. The Raiders have only lost 1 of 12 games under Chris in 3 seasons, but lost 9 of 15 under Gerard. While Grant Atkins and Adam Gee rank equal next worst at 50%.

BULLDOGS
Best: Ben Cummins 33.3% (12 games, 4 wins), Ashley Klein 33.3% (6 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 0% (6 games, 0 wins), Chris Sutton 11.1% (9 games, 1 win)

Average penalties 2023: 5.6 received (equal 7th), 6.7 conceded (17th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 1.9 conceded (4th)

Verdict: The struggling Dogs don’t have a great record regardless of who is in charge. But the stats suggest their best hope is when either Ben Cummins or Ashley Klein are in charge. They have their worst record under Gee, winless in all 6 games since 2020, while losing 8 of 9 under Chris Sutton. The Dogs also rank last this season on penalties conceded.

SHARKS
Best: Chris Sutton 84.6% (13 games, 11 wins), Todd Smith 71.4% (7 games, 5 wins)

Worst: Grant Atkins 30% (10 games, 3 wins), Ben Cummins 30% (10 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.2 received (4th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: It’s astonishing comparing the stats certain teams have under certain referees. Just look at the Sharks’ 84.6 percentage under Chris Sutton as opposed to the 30 per cent under Atkins and Cummins. That’s not suggesting any favouritism, it’s just stating a fact. The Sharks also have a pretty ordinary record under Ashley Klein (38.5), who they have for Friday night’s game against the Titans.
DOLPHINS
Best: Chris Butler 100% (3 games, 3 wins), Adam Gee 66.7% (3 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Peter Gough 0% (4 games, 0 wins), Gerard Sutton 0% (2 games, 0 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.4 received (10th), 5.6 conceded (equal 10th)

Average set restarts: 1.8 awarded (16th), 1.6 conceded (equal 1st)

Verdict: Perhaps a classic case of stats only telling part of the story. While the Dolphins have the perfect strike rate under Butler, those 3 wins were in the opening 8 rounds (against the Roosters, Knights and Titans) when the Dolphins started hot. In comparison, 3 of the 4 losses under Gough have been since round 17 against the Eels, Broncos and Bulldogs. The other was in round 9 against the Raiders.

TITANS
Best: Peter Gough 50% (8 games, 4 wins), Todd Smith 50% (6 games, 3 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 20% (10 games, 2 wins), Chris Butler 23.1% (13 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.6 received (2nd), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 1.6 awarded (17th), 2.9 conceded (14th)

Verdict: When your luck’s out, your luck’s out. And while the Titans don’t have a better than 50 per cent record under any ref, what I find just as interesting is they rank second in penalties awarded this season. I mention this because they sure could have done with one extra call during the recent loss to the Eels (under Butler) when Tanah Boyd had a late field goal attempt charged down. Of course, that came the week after the Dolphins were awarded a late penalty in almost identical circumstances against the Titans.

SEA EAGLES
Best: Chris Butler 60% (5 games, 3 wins), Peter Gough 60% (5 games, 3 wins)

Worst: Chris Sutton 20% (5 games, 1 wins), Ashley Klein 36.4% (11 games, 4 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 8 received (1st), 5.1 conceded (2nd)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 3.2 conceded (17th)

Verdict: Talk about a controversial early season loss coming back to bite a team in the countdown to the finals. While the Sea Eagles go best under Butler and Gough, they seriously struggle when Chris Sutton’s holding the whistle. And one Sutton loss that stands out was when the Sea Eagles were robbed of a try for a so-called forward pass back in the round four 13-12 golden point loss to the Rabbitohs that the NRL later conceded was wrong. Those two lost competition points would have them in the top eight now. Ouch.

STORM
Best: Ben Cummins 83.3% (6 games, 5 wins), Peter Gough 83.3% (6 games, 5 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 53.8% (13 games, 7 wins), Ashley Klein 64.7% (17 games, 11 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.7 received (equal 5th), 6.4 conceded (15th)

Average set restarts: 3 awarded (1st), 3.1 conceded (16th)

Verdict: Here’s one for the conspiracy theorists because we would never accuse any ref of holding a grudge. But the stats show that since Brandon Smith got in strife for calling Gee a “cheating bastard” last July in a loss to the Sharks, the Storm have also lost their next 5 under the same man. While those defeats didn’t exactly come against the easiest opposition, it’s still an interesting stat when you’re talking about a team as successful as the Storm, who are 83.3 per cent under Cummins.

KNIGHTS
Best: Grant Atkins 70% (10 games, 7 wins), Peter Gough 58.3% (12 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Chris Sutton 28.6% (7 games, 2 wins), Chris Butler 28.6% (7 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.7 received (equal 5th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.1 awarded (12th), 2.3 conceded (10th)

Verdict: As the Knights make a late charge to the finals, they’d be hoping they get their share of games under Atkins given their 70 per cent strike rate with him. Not that we’re suggesting there was any bias when Atkins was in charge in Perth last weekend and a really tough call went the Knights’ way, after Herman Ese’ese was pinged for holding a player back in a scrum that denied the Dolphins at the death. While it was technically the correct call, NRL head of football Graham Annesley later conceded it was “a very harsh penalty”.

COWBOYS
Best: Chris Butler 75% (8 games, 6 wins), Grant Atkins 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Ben Cummins 10% (10 games, 1 win), Chris Sutton 18.2% (11 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.5 received (9th), 5.8 conceded (12th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 2.2 conceded (9th)

Verdict: While the Cowboys have clearly their best record under Butler, they have also won 66.6 per cent of their games during this period under both Atkins and Peter Gough. While their worst record is by far under Ben Cummins at 10 per cent, and 18.2 under Chris Sutton. Ashley Klein and Gerard Sutton are next but at a significantly better percentage of 44.4 (5 losses from 9 games under both).

EELS
Best: Peter Gough 80% (5 games, 4 wins), Ben Cummins 77.8% (9 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 33.3% (9 games, 3 wins), Grant Atkins 46.7% (15 games, 7 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 4.4 received (17th), 5 conceded (1st)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 1.8 conceded (3rd)

Verdict: It’s a lineball call if the Eels have got the rub of the green by getting Gee for this round’s potentially season-defining showdown with the Broncos. While the Broncos have their worst record when Gee is officiating, so do the Eels. On the flip side, the Eels have their best winning percentage under Gough and Cummins. Interestingly, the Eels rank worst in penalties awarded this year, but best in penalties conceded.

PANTHERS
Best: Chris Butler 100% (6 games, 6 wins), Adam Gee 93.3% (15 games, 14 wins)

Worst: Todd Smith 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins), Gerard Sutton 69.6% (23 games, 16 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 6.4 received (3rd), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 2.7 awarded (equal 3rd), 2.7 conceded (13th)

Verdict: If there is one man more important to the Panthers than Nathan Cleary it’s referee Butler, who some rival fans have jokingly nicknamed “Mr 100%”. Not that the Panthers have a bad record with any of the whistleblowers. In fact, Smith (who they have their worst record under) was at the centre of the post Magic Round blow up this year after sensational cheating allegations from a Warriors’ sponsor were later withdrawn.

RABBITOHS
Best: Ben Cummins 91.7% (12 games, 11 wins), Adam Gee 80% (5 games, 4 wins)

Worst: Grant Atkins 38.9% (18 games, 7 wins), Ashley Klein 50% (18 games, 9 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.1 received (15th), 5.4 conceded (6th)

Average set restarts: 2 awarded (equal 13th), 2.1 conceded (8th)

Verdict: This time of the season you take all the luck you can get. And with the Rabbitohs walking the finals tightrope, maybe they got a pre-match boost with their No 1 ref Cummins appointed for Saturday’s showdown with the Dragons. Under Cummins the Rabbitohs only have 1 loss in their last 12 games. As opposed to 11 losses in 18 games under Atkins. Souths have their next worst record under Klein who is currently ranked the game’s No 1.

DRAGONS
Best: Ben Cummins 70% (10 games, 7 wins), Peter Gough 42.9% (14 games, 6 wins)

Worst: Adam Gee 20% (10 games, 2 wins), Grant Atkins 27.3% (11 games, 3 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.3 received (equal 11th), 5.9 conceded (equal 13th)

Average set restarts: 2.4 awarded (equal 6th), 2 conceded (equal 5th)

Verdict: Like the Rabbitohs, the Dragons also have their best record under Cummins, and by a long way. In the last three years they have won 70 per cent of matches under Cummins, compared to their next best which is 42.9 per cent under Gough. Then it goes 40 per cent under Gerard Sutton, 33.3 under Chris Sutton, 27.3 under Atkins and down to 20 per cent under Gee. Upon further reflection, maybe the refs have little to do with the Dragons’ results in recent years.

ROOSTERS
Best: Grant Atkins 76.5% (17 games, 13 wins), Ben Cummins 66.7% (9 games, 6 wins)

Worst: Gerard Sutton 31.3% (16 games, 5 wins), Ashley Klein 52.6% (19 games, 10 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5 received (16th), 6.5 conceded (16th)

Average set restarts: 2.3 awarded (equal 8th), 2.5 conceded (equal 11th)

Verdict: No wonder Roosters fans get their noses out of joint when it comes to Gerard Sutton who they have lost 11 of their last 16 games under. One call that sticks out like a sore thumb was the game-changing penalty last July when Sam Verrills made a textbook tackle but somehow Panther Scott Sorensen still nosedived into the turf. That was the one that Trent Robinson labelled a “horrible decision” after Viliame Kikau scored the next set. On the flip side their ‘best ref’ Atkins even put his body on the line and made a try saving tackle for the Chooks this year to stop Broncos Tyson Smoothy from scoring.


WARRIORS
Best: Adam Gee 57.1% (7 games, 4 wins), Chris Sutton 53.8% (13 games, 7 wins)

Worst: Chris Butler 33.3% (12 games, 4 wins), Grant Atkins 33.3% (6 games, 2 wins)

Average penalties 2023: 5.6 received (equal 7th), 5.5 conceded (equal 7th)

Average set restarts: 2.4 awarded (equal 6th), 2.9 conceded (equal 14th)

Verdict: It caused a hell of a stir a few months back when a Warriors sponsor labelled the refs cheats before retracting his statement. While that was totally out of line, just looking at their record under all refs in recent years certainly makes for pretty grim reading for Warriors fans. The best winning percentage under Gee isn’t exactly what you’d call flash, while you just have to go back to this year’s controversial Anzac Day loss to the Storm to remember why Warriors fans aren’t among the Atkins fan club.

TIGERS
Best: Adam Gee 45.5% (11 games, 5 wins), Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski 40% (5 games, 2 wins)

Worst: Ben Cummins 7.7% (13 games, 1 win), Peter Gough 12.5% (8 games, 1 win)
Average penalties 2023: 5.2 received (14th), 5.3 conceded (equal 3rd)

Average set restarts: 2.9 awarded (2nd), 1.6 conceded (1st)

Verdict: One of the best disciplined sides this year when it comes to penalties and set restarts conceded, not that you’d know it by their record under all refs in recent years. Just go back to last round when they copped some shocking calls under their second worst ref Gough in the loss to the Raiders, including that forward pass howler from Jack Wighton that led to a Seb Kris try. Still, you can’t put it all down to bad calls from refs when your team is closing in on back-to-back wooden spoons.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/the-best-and-worst-referee-for-every-nrl-club-to-play-under/news-story/fe6d23193f7a0386753736c78ab5bb5e

If 4 wins out of 6 and 16 wins out of 23 is worst than I will take the worse referees any day of the week for Bulldogs. lol

Also Panthers wins more games under their worst referees than Bulldogs do under their best.

PANTHERS
Best: Chris Butler 100% (6 games, 6 wins), Adam Gee 93.3% (15 games, 14 wins)

Worst: Todd Smith 66.7% (6 games, 4 wins), Gerard Sutton 69.6% (23 games, 16 wins)

 

[Dapper Dog]

We could have an endless thread pointing out all the BS we've copped from refs, but one specific thing I've noticed this season is that Reed Mahoney gets shafted most, if not every time he catches the markers not being square.

This was the one in our last game against dolphins, where Marshall-King is supposed to be square at second marker.


Mahoney let's the ball get knocked out here, which would turn the would-be 6-again into a penalty (and thus a 2 - 2 leveller), but the ref rules loose carry. The other one's that come to mind is where he's does it on tackle 6, ending our set, and when he's done it at other times it's just killed our momentum, since he stops moving and is held standing in the tackle.

I don't fault Reed for this because he probably wasn't this shafted as an eel, and he legitimately catches the markers not square, but since he's donned the blue & white he's seen no love from the officials.

 

[PoundHounds]

Very surprising stat that doesn't pass my spitting anger at the TV test.

Cummins always seems to fuck us over.

 

[wendog33]

Some of these stats are truly astounding when you compare between teams and then compare the win\loss stats % between refs and the teams actual position on the ladder.

 

[XR6T]

Very surprising stat that doesn't pass my spitting anger at the TV test.

Cummins always seems to fuck us over.

Cum stains = Rabbitohs supporter and Storm
Butler = Panfers supporter
Atkins = Chook supporter
Gough Whitlam = Slimey supporter
Chris Slutton=Donkeys supporter
Calvin Klein = nobody supporter, just a shit ref!

 

[ASSASSIN]

Where is that Gerard fuckwit's stats against us?

 

[XR6T]

Where is that Gerard fuckwit's stats against us?

It's only up to 100%....he surpassed that 5yrs ago...

 

[Indiandog]

Where is that Gerard fuckwit's stats against us?

he is off the charts so they didnt include him.

you know how they rate the best batsmen in the history. The start from number 3 cos Bradman is always going to be number 1 , Daylight second.

 

[Rebuilding Phase]

Where is that Gerard fuckwit's stats against us?

He would need his own page

 

[albatross]

Games won and lost means nothing really. The good teams win and bad teams lose regardless of ref. Penalties show the real bias. This is from a table at

Rugby League Tables / Referees 1939-2023

Rugby League Tables - NRL Stats & Tables

afltables.com

(just click on any ref - scroll to the top for Cummins) that shows we have the worst penalty ratio of any team under Cummins in his career. Roosters are 2nd worst - Dragons and Sharks are 1.13 and 1.14 on the good side.

Penalites given (since 1980)​	M	For	Against	Ratio ↓
Canterbury	68​	214.5​	257.5​	0.83​
Sydney Roosters	58​	199​	217.5​	0.91​

 

[LordSidious66]

Ahh, remember those days when I used to get lectured on here about blaming refs? It's good to see people other than myself getting angry at the officials.

 

[Moey91]

I did not pay attention to those stats.. All I saw was

Bulldogs:

Best:
Not 1 fuckin touchie, officials or vid ref

Worst
EVERY FUCKING REF starting with Gerard the fucking prick

 

[Rod67]

“GEE” I didn’t know that. Just goes to show if Cummins is our best the rest are pretty shit or on the take. Cummins cost Canberra any chance of winning a GF a few years back against the Rorters but Saints also copped the Cummins treatment last weekend with another awful decision that cost them the game and 2 points.

I get the feeling there’s a deep hatred or resentment to our club by referees for many years now and that stems back from the days of James Graham and David Klemmer. If you upset them they can make life very difficult for you and the club. Reynolds just enforced that this year, with Gran Atkins, he retired not long after that game.

NO person on the field with more power or who determines the outcome of the game. I’ve had more refs than players down as receiving man of the match awards.

Shorten version NRL stands for “National Rort League”.

 

[TABOO]

Penalties & 6 again stats are useless. In many games the ref just starts giving the Bulldogs those in the last 20 minutes of the game when it's already over to make it look fairer.

Rugby league eye test on Twitter did a far better analysis a while back. It even went in to the detail of when in the game they were awarded and who was leading at the time. The data was far worse for us than this article shows.

 

[Rod67]

Game is now run by the “Don Corleone” of the NRL. P V’L just makes things happen, just look at the players pay dispute. “Danny this could all be done in a day, I’d be surprised if it took more than 2 hours”. Yesterday, job done!
Where does all the money come from suddenly. Well P V’L is a smart businessman. You won’t get what you want until you ask for it. He’s not in the business of worrying about what the players want, that’s the clubs problem, but understand that the playing group as whole feel they’re entitled to more of a slice of the pie.

P V’L has a wagering background and has close ties with many high profile powerbrokers, right up to heads of government. TV rights, advertising, gate takings and merchandise all bring in huge $$$$$$ for the game but the main sources for P V’L are expansion and last but certainly not least the Gambling $$$$$$$ from corporate betting companies and the TAB.

He only a few months ago flew to Las Vegas to shore up support there by allowing gambling on the NRL and in the process had also pushed to have NRL game(s) and possibly a SOO match played over there. That might be great for business but what about the actual hard core NRL fans who just want to support and watch their team try and win. They’re simply a means to an end a revenue stream to P V’L. Wherever there’s a dollar to be made he’ll find it, hence why he has added one team with many more to come no doubt but that doesn’t improve the overall game it dilutes the talent in what is and has been a lopsided competition for years.

Finally he is doing exactly the same in the NRL as he has done in horse racing. Added more races for mug punters to bet on, had SKY Racing, racing channel on TV and radio, linked to the NSW TAB on a 99 year broadcasting lease. Added more international racing into Australia and has added races like the Everest for 10M and Golden Eagle for 5M plus numerous races worth 1 to 2M. All this at a time when most people are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. Oh and that Everest race coming up in October is now worth 20 Million dollars!

P V’L aka the “Don”. He can turn water into wine and make you a “Deal” you can’t refuse.