Poor ref calls leave Sea Eagles in a flap

WE have long been told to hate Manly — but this is becoming ridiculous.

Rival fans could be forgiven for doing the unthinkable, and that’s feel sorry for the historically disliked Sea Eagles, who have now been dudded by match-defining blunders three times in the past nine games.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley has conceded Manly should have received a crucial penalty on full-time in Sunday’s 14-12 loss to Newcastle which would have given the Sea Eagles a chance to kick a match-levelling goal.

Annesley’s admission has continued a wretched run for Manly, who were robbed in an elimination semi-final against South Sydney last year and then again in round four against Parramatta this season.

The Eels result alone should have the Sea Eagles in seventh position, instead of languishing in 10th and missing their No.1 go-forward prop in Addin Fonua-Blake. Had they been awarded, and made, the penalty goal against the Knights, the Sea Eagles could have soared into the top four with an extra-time victory.

“Everyone knows that you will get some good calls and some bad calls. That‘s always been the case and we accept that,” Manly chief executive Stephen Humphreys said.

“They say that bad luck comes in threes and wise heads say that the good and bad calls even themselves out over the course of a season. If that‘s the case then we have a lot to look forward to.”

Furious at the decision to deny his side a late penalty, Fonua-Blake was sent off for calling referee Grant Atkins a “f***ing r**ard” — even though video referee Jared Maxwell made the decision.

Fonua-Blake is expected to plead guilty to a grade three contrary conduct charge and serve a two-game suspension, although Manly could opt to challenge the grading.

Should he fight and lose at an NRL judiciary hearing, Fonua-Blake will be banned for three games.

Manly’s horror recent luck dates back to Jake Trbojevic’s sin-binning in last year’s semifinal to Souths, when the Rabbitohs scored twice in his absence to win 34-26.

The Sea Eagles were denied a matchwinning try against Parramatta in round four this year when a legitimate pass was wrongly declared forward.

And on Sunday, Sea Eagles winger Tevita Funu kicked ahead inside the final minute before being illegitimately pushed over in what should have resulted in a penalty.