Glenn Jackson
August 12, 2006
"LET'S get out of here - get out of theeeere."
And with that, referee Paul Simpkins was out of there, as Newcastle skipper Andrew Johns found himself at the centre of another swearing controversy.
The Knights halfback was accused of calling touch judge Matt Cecchin a "f---ing c---" in the dying moments of last night's dramatic loss to Manly.
It came just a month after Johns was heavily scrutinised after shouting an obscenity at a match official during the Knights' clash with Melbourne as he questioned a penalty awarded against his side. Simpkins was the referee on that occasion as well.
The latest drama occurred in the final minute of last night's clash. Newcastle, two points behind the Sea Eagles, were pressing for a match-winning try. A pass was touched away by Manly centre Steve Matai, but Simpkins ruled it had not been played at, handing the Sea Eagles possession.
A penalty was awarded to Manly and the Newcastle players surrounded the referee. Touch judge Cecchin then entered the fray to give a report to Simpkins, telling him: "He [Johns] looked at me and said, 'effing c'."
After the final whistle, Simpkins was quick to leave the field as tempers flared, urging his sideline officials: "Let's get out of here
get out of there."
Afterwards, the Knights were adamant they should have been awarded a scrum, giving them a final chance to snatch a win.
"I just thought it was an example of a knock-on," coach Michael Hagan said.
"It seemed fairly apparent to everyone else in the ground. It wasn't in the context of making a tackle and not playing at the football, it was a knock-on. Surely there won't be a debate on Monday that it was anything but wrong."
Newcastle hooker Danny Buderus was heard to yell at the height of the drama: "How could you not see that, both of you?"
Asked afterwards whether he still thought the call was the wrong one, Buderus replied: "Me and the grandstand. He saw
he made a call on it. I still don't know what his call was, whether he thought he was in the motion of making a tackle
I don't know."
Simpkins defended the decision, saying: "I made a call that the ball wasn't played at. Manly regained possession, then Buderus had hold of the ball and he wouldn't let go, so I awarded a penalty. I had to caution Andrew Johns for dissent."
Asked to confirm whether Johns had told the touch judge he was a "f---ing c---", Simpkins replied: "That was the report from the touch judge. He was cautioned to that effect."
While Buderus claimed he did not hear the offending remark, Hagan defended his skipper.
"I think he would be entitled to swear at him," Hagan maintained. "The game was there to be won and lost."
