‘I don’t think they know’: Webster takes aim at Bunker

Warriors coach Andrew Webster has vented his frustrations at inconsistencies in NRL officiating, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck set to miss the team’s final game of the season after failing a head injury assessment.

After a strong carry into contact in the 45th minute of the 34-18 loss, Tuivasa-Sheck was rocked after Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton made shoulder contact to the Warriors’ centre’s head. Tuivasa-Sheck got back to his feet on wobbly legs, forcing the referee to halt play while he was tended to by a trainer.

Tuivasa-Sheck left the field for a head injury assessment and Crichton was eventually penalised for the high shot and placed on report, but that was the extent of the punishment.

Webster was flummoxed as to how Crichton was allowed to stay on the field even after the play had been reviewed, particularly as Tuivasa-Sheck wasn’t able to return to the game and the shot ultimately ended his season.

“I’m struggling to understand how a shoulder can go into Roger’s head and the bunker has got ages to see it a critical time of the game and then we lose Roger for the game and then we’ve got to reshuffle our team,” Webster said.

“You’ve got to reshuffle anyway, that’s football – but when it happens like that and then nothing gets done to them? We’ve got to protect our players and I just don’t see the consistency one little bit around that.

“Roger will miss next week now. He couldn’t come back and their player goes on. That’s it. That’s all that happens.

“There are so many parts in there that we could have controlled better tonight and the boys know that, but I’m just frustrated how that happens.”