NRL: Melbourne Storm half Jahrome Hughes suspended for pushing referee during win over NZ Warriors

Melbourne Storm half Jahrome Hughes has copped a one-week suspension for shoving referee Chris Butler during the dramatic 30-26 victory over NZ Warriors.

The incident occurred midway through the second half at Melbourne's AAMI Park, as Warriors centre Rocco Berry recovered a loose ball and steamed towards the tryline.

Impeded by the ref, Hughes pushed Butler to the ground to make the tackle, but on the next play, the Warriors shifted left for winger Marcelo Montoya to score in the corner.

He was subsequently cited for the act and has decided not to contest the charge, accepting the automatic one-week ban that goes with it. 

Fox Sport commentator Mick Ennis describes the charge as "absolutely ridiculous", insisting Hughes meant no ill harm to the official.

"Commonsense says it’s not one of those moments where a player is frustrated and puts his hand on the referee," he insisted. "That's what we don't want in our game, we don't want referees ever to be touched when they don’t need to be, but that was just a complete accident from Jahrome Hughes.

"Commonsense has to prevail. I hope they fight that, because he should never miss a week for it and the fact he was charged is just absolute stupidity."

Adding fuel to the debate, the NRL bunker disallowed a try to Canterbury Bulldogs forward Viliame Kikau, after a Cronulla Sharks defender was impeded by the referee.

"I don't believe this try should have been overturned," said NRL head of elite competitions Graham Annesley in his weekly analysis. "The referee has to be somewhere on the field, he can't just disappear.

"If we allow that try to be disallowed on that basis, we'll have players making contact with referees in multiple instances where they'll claim they've been disadvantage."

More to come

Melbourne Storm half Jahrome Hughes has copped a one-week suspension for shoving referee Chris Butler during the dramatic 30-26 victory over NZ Warriors.

The incident occurred midway through the second half at Melbourne's AAMI Park, as Warriors centre Rocco Berry recovered a loose ball and steamed towards the tryline.

Impeded by the ref, Hughes pushed Butler to the ground to make the tackle, but on the next play, the Warriors shifted left for winger Marcelo Montoya to score in the corner.

He was subsequently cited for the act and has decided not to contest the charge, accepting the automatic one-week ban that goes with it. 

Fox Sport commentator Mick Ennis describes the charge as "absolutely ridiculous", insisting Hughes meant no ill harm to the official.

"Commonsense says it’s not one of those moments where a player is frustrated and puts his hand on the referee," he insisted. "That's what we don't want in our game, we don't want referees ever to be touched when they don’t need to be, but that was just a complete accident from Jahrome Hughes.

"Commonsense has to prevail. I hope they fight that, because he should never miss a week for it and the fact he was charged is just absolute stupidity."

Adding fuel to the debate, the NRL bunker disallowed a try to Canterbury Bulldogs forward Viliame Kikau, after a Cronulla Sharks defender was impeded by the referee.

"I don't believe this try should have been overturned," said NRL head of elite competitions Graham Annesley in his weekly analysis. "The referee has to be somewhere on the field, he can't just disappear.

"If we allow that try to be disallowed on that basis, we'll have players making contact with referees in multiple instances where they'll claim they've been disadvantage."

More to come

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