Last night the North Queensland Cowboys overcame a multiple year 'hoodoo' to finally defeat the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.
In doing so they continued their increasingly genuine charge toward a potential top four finish.
They also scored 48 points after crossing for eight tries on the back of a Scott Drinkwater masterclass.
Unfortunately, all that social media is talking about today is the 49th minute send off of Tigers centre Justin Olam.
Send offs are always going to be a huge topic for discussion. Remember Origin 1 by any chance?
Unfortunately though, the referees have become an easy "go to" and even easier "out" for officials, social media personalities and fans.
While no one is harsher on referees than I am, there has become an instant reaction to blame the referee, Bunker or touch judges in every single situation.
For the record, I am totally ok with the Olam incident being adjudicated as a send off.
He ran out of the line, turned his head and lead with the shoulder. If it went wrong, there's only one outcome ... Olam being sat down.
I'd also have been able to continue on with my life if that had been ruled as a sin bin.
As it happened live I was sure it was going to be an instant dismissal and replays only confirmed that.
Despite numerous, and sometimes ridiculous, options offered up by Tigers fans as mitigating factors, it sure looked a stone cold send off to me.
Outcome aside, only one person can be blamed for the tackle gone wrong and that is Justin Olam.
The fact he is facing a monster ban says it all.
Unfortunately, perhaps being urged on by social media personalities intent on causing division, Tigers fans have flooded the timelines claiming that they are refereed differently.
I've had people in my mentions on Twitter/X suggesting a NRL conspiracy. Suggestions that the NRL are targeting the Wests Tigers.
Although no one could provide a reasonable reason why this would be the case, I must stress that it has come from an emotional, albeit loud, small section of the fan base.
Let me be clear here. Every single team cops horror decisions.
I don't even believe the Olam send off was a horror decision. I'm firmly in the camp that it was 70/30 a send off to sin bin.
Either way, it's hardly akin to the decision that robbed the Tigers of victory after the siren, two years ago in Townsville. Now that was an all time blunder.
Again though, the Wests Tigers are not refereed any differently to the 16 other teams who routinely get dudded by the officials.
Tigers fans were quick to suggest that the "Roosters players wouldn't have been punished", despite the fact that 100 per cent of the NRL and Origin send offs this season prior to last night were members of the Roosters roster.
The Wests Tigers have an unparalleled record of players sin binned for 2024.
Perhaps it's something to do with a lack of discipline and not always a referee error, literally every single time!?
It's not related here but also very related, but the penalty and six again counts don't have to be even.
In fact I'd suggest way more often than not, they shouldn't be. Not every side has gone out there with a gentleman's agreement to commit the same amount of offences.
Don't think for a second that it's only the Tigers fanbase either.
A few weeks ago a mate of mine was at a Roosters game and was keeping me entertained with stories of fans screaming blue murder at referee Ashley Klein.
Meanwhile our Shark-focused group chat were all praising Klein's performance in that game.
Emotion and fan investment causes bias views. In the heat of the moment, your team can do no wrong. I get it. I'm 100 per cent guilty of this, loudly, myself.
Again though, suggestions that the Tigers, or any other team, is refereed differently are absolutely ridiculous.
I cringe when people suggest "if that wasn't Victor Radley (for example) he wouldn't have been binned" after Victor Radley was binned for a clear sin bin worthy offence.
Referees make mistakes. Lots of them.
I've called for a complete Bunker overhaul. I want Graham Annesley sacked immediately for failing to hold officials to account.
To suggest though that there's any kind of NRL conspiracy targeting any team, is downright lazy.
The Wests Tigers are last because they're not a good football side.
I'm on record as saying I 100 per cent believe in Benji Marshall and believe they're making all the right moves.
They're on track for a third wooden spoon because of years of mismanagement and players using the club as a place to bump up their retirement fund.
Not because of referees sitting down and deciding it'd be funny to see how many points the Tigers concede while a man down on the field.
Blow up about the decision if you must.
There will be three times this week I'm reaching for my phone notes to jot down a horror decision to discuss right here on Monday morning.
This very blow up will be forgotten by this time tomorrow as we all move on to something else to upset us all.
What that will be? I'm not certain.
What I am certain of though is that Tigers fans need to drop the victim mentality as I can guarantee there is no NRL lead conspiracy to referee your club differently.
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