Moses warned for referee conduct as Dragons implode and Tigers soar

James Hooper was joined by Matty Vautin and Brandon Savage on Rugby League Insider’s live YouTube episode for a fiery midweek breakdown of Mitchell Moses’ referee drama, the Dragons’ humiliating 0-5 start, refereeing inconsistencies and the NRL’s wild early form.

Moses crosses the line

The panel kicked off with Mitchell Moses copping a concerning conduct breach notice for his constant engagement with referee Peter Gough during Parramatta’s golden-point loss to the Tigers on Easter Monday. Hooper said Moses was borderline overstepping the mark, particularly with the physical contact. “By the end of it, especially when he’s patting him on the shoulder and a little tickle behind the ribs, I was kind of going, ‘Hang on’,” Hooper said.

Vautin agreed the touching was a major issue but felt a formal warning was sufficient. “I think a concerning act letter is okay. Now the message is clear,” he said. “I hope it’s not just for Mitch. I hope this is for the whole league that touching a ref and incessant badgering is a no-go.” Savage noted fans despise it, saying it feels like “softening up the ref to get a call to go their way down the track”.

Hooper contrasted Moses’ approach with Cameron Smith’s masterclass, saying Smith picked his moments whereas Moses was “in his grill the entire game”. The panel praised Gough’s gutsy offside call on Dylan Walker that decided the game but noted he’d been dropped for the next round anyway.

Dragons hit rock bottom

St George Illawarra’s 32-0 capitulation to North Queensland dominated discussion, with the Jubilee Oval booing a sign of how fed up the fanbase has become. Hooper said the shutout was the real issue for supporters. “If a team has a go and the game is close… fans can say, ‘Hey, we’re building’,” he said. “But the zero was the big problem for me.”

Vautin called their attack “lacadaisical” and “hard to watch”, while Savage said they’re simply “boring”. The hosts dissected the halves switch, with Daniel Atkinson moving to six and Kyle Flanagan returning at seven after concussion. “Atkinson at seven for the first five rounds was not a bad call. You’ve got to try it,” Hooper said.

Savage saw it as coach Shane Flanagan’s “last ditch effort” to save his job. “Give Flanagan the keys and let Atkinson roam free,” he said. Vautin defended Atkinson’s inexperience but pointed the finger squarely at recruitment. “They’re the ones who decided Atkinson was the playmaker they wanted to spend big on,” he said.

Gutho’s future questioned

Zac Lomax’s role came under the microscope, with Brandon suggesting he may have played his last game at fullback — or even his last NRL game. “He’s passed it in terms of pace. He’s probably a little too slow,” Savage said. He floated centre, wing or bench utility as options but felt wing would be a waste.

Hooper disagreed, suggesting six as a better fit given Lomax’s experience there with Parramatta. “I’d put him in the six. I’d put Atkinson at seven. I wouldn’t have Kyle in the side,” he said. Vautin defended Lomax’s football IQ but admitted the speed issue. “Putting Gutho at six and Atkinson at seven doesn’t solve many issues,” he said.

The panel sympathised with Kyle Flanagan returning after a serious concussion. “If he’s a boxer, he’s not allowed to fight for three months,” Hooper noted. “He’s got the weight of this club trying to save his old man getting the sack. That’s a lot going on.”

Refereeing under fire

Peter Gough’s performance drew mixed reviews, with the panel praising his decisive Dylan Walker offside call but criticising his handling of Moses. “He got to the stage where he’d pretty much lost control,” Hooper said. “Mitch was in his grill way too much.”

Savage called for fewer video referee interventions. “You can find a penalty in every tackle if you really want to,” he said. Vautin liked the new HIA protocol for players milking high tackles. “If someone lays down for a high tackle and stays down, they’ll send them off for HIA even if they’re faking it,” he said.

Hooper floated making referees more personable through media appearances. “If you saw the ref as a person, it breaks down that barrier between ref and fan,” he said. The panel praised Jason Ryles’ post-match maturity in defending the referees despite the loss.

Tigers’ rise continues

Wests Tigers’ second-place ladder position stunned the hosts, with their fitness overwhelming Parramatta late in the Easter Monday thriller. Vautin credited their hard pre-season. “Adam Doueihi said they were confident going into the last 10-15 minutes that they were going to be fitter,” he said.

Hooper noted the broader NRL form flip. “Penrith are a satin rocket on top… Newcastle Knights, last year’s wooden spooners, currently third,” he said. The panel marvelled at how quickly fortunes can change in round five.