Super League boss reveals officials “admitted wrong decision”

Hull Kingston Rovers’ boss Willie Peters has revealed that referees have “admitted” that they’d made “the wrong decision” in a key turning point of the Robins’ recent loss.

Rovers fell to defeat against Warrington by a score of 21-14 but it was an undercooked KR that entered the Halliwell Jones as they were without both Lachlan Coote and Jordan Abdull.

At 12-6 up heading into half-time Rovers’ hooker Matt Parcell went down with what looked to be a head injury although no action was taken.

Parcell then failed his HIA amidst complaints of a stray arm or elbow from Warrington’s Joe Philbin.

Whilst that sole decision didn’t lose Rovers the match it forced outside back Sam Wood into the halves with Jez Litten filling in for Parcell.

Peters has spoken today revealing how Parcell is but also about the incident going unpunished.

“He obviously won’t play this week so he’ll have the week off unfortunately.

“He’ll go through all the protocols and he’ll be fine. Naturally after the game he wasn’t great but the next day and the following day once you start doing the testing then he’s on track.”

Parcell will sit out this week’s Challenge Cup game against Batley consequent to that but Warrington’s Philbin went without punishment both at the time and after the Match Review Panel had ruled.

Despite no charge Peters did explain that officials had conceded their error.

“I spoke to the referee’s to get clarity around the decision that was made and we all make wrong decisions at times, referees are human and they admitted it was the wrong decision in terms of it should have been a penalty.

“It was good to get clarification around that but in terms of the actual incident, obviously there was no intent and you can’t see on the angles how or where he’s been contacted but there’s no doubt he’s been contacted in the head.

“It should have been a penalty because the line the player ran was straight towards Matt when he should have been tracking back towards the ball when contact was made.

“The unfortunate part for us is that we miss Matt in a major turning point in that game, we miss Matt this week and we didn’t get a penalty for it.

“It happens and I fully respect that the referees have to make a decision quickly but for us at least we got clarity that it was the wrong decision and we accept that.”

He also spoke about forward Jesse Sue’s suspension, the prop being handed a one-game ban, with Peters accepting the ban despite his personal queries.

“That’s one we could have easily challenged but the tricky part is then that makes it potentially two games. For me it was careless but I don’t think it was reckless.

“These are the ones we’re trying to get out of our game but we also need to understand that once players go a certain distance into the line, at pace, then you’re committed as a defender.”