Refereeing controversies continue to cast a shadow over the NRL, leaving fans increasingly confused about what constitutes penalties, sin bins and send-offs.
The opening matches of Magic Round have reignited debates about the consistency and fairness of officiating, with notable incidents sparking widespread frustration and calls for a review.
In the opening match between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Canberra Raiders, Jordan Rapana and Josh Papali'i were sin-binned, however it was the tripping attempt from Jordan Rapana at a crucial moment that escaped a third sin-binning, leaving fans bewildered by the inconsistency.
Spectators of the game were quick to take to social media as both teams appeared to cop a few harsh calls throughout the contest.
The second match saw Manly Sea Eagles' coach Anthony Seibold taking issue with several decisions in the game, most notably the penalty against Jaxson Paulo for high contact.
“Let's be fair dinkum it's one of the softest penalties ever," Seibold lamented.
Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans also questioned the call after seeing it on the big screen.
“At the time definitely have to back the live decision but it wasn't until we saw it on the big screen that we thought we might have been hard done by,” Cherry-Evans said.
“But that's footy. You get them some weeks, some weeks you don't get them and they were good enough to ice it at the end.”
The mounting confusion and dissatisfaction among fans, former players and commentators have led to widespread calls for a comprehensive review of the NRL's refereeing structure and the rostering of bunker officials.