Ashley Klein is DROPPED by NRL after his Bunker howler cost Wests Tigers the game against Cowboys 

Referee Ashley Klein has been dropped for the upcoming round of NRL games, paying the price for the fiasco at the end of the game between North Queensland and the Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Klein was the video official in the Bunker, who awarded the Cowboys a controversial last second penalty which proved crucial as Todd Payten’s men clinched a 27-26 win to go second on the NRL ladder.

Trailing by a point following Starford To’a’s try with 90 seconds left in the game, North Queensland were given an unexpected lifeline as Kyle Feldt was judged to be taken out by Tigers winger Asu Kepaoa when attempting to gather the ball from the restart.

Ashley Klein was the Bunker official on Sunday and has been dropped as a result of his mistake

While there appeared to be minimal contact between the two, the Bunker ruled Kepaoa escorted Feldt and awarded the home side a penalty. 

Earlier this week, the NRL admitted the Bunker got the decision wrong and on Tuesday NRL head of football Graham Annesley confirmed Klein would not officiate in any capacity this weekend. 

‘He’s been our No. 1 referee over recent months,’ Annesley said.

‘He refereed all three Origins, he’s been operating in the bunker now for many years, he performs to a very high standard. We just don’t agree with the decision he made.’

Referee Chris Butler awarded a controversial late penalty to the Cowboys after the Bunker intervened and deemed Asu Kepaoa had taken out Kyle Feldt

NRL head of football Graham Annesley admitted the Bunker got it wrong

He added: ‘There is no more accountable job than officiating in the NRL. We have a history of putting our hands up when things go wrong. 

‘Where we feel there is a justification for officials to be accountable for their decisions through demotion, then those sorts of decisions will be taken.

He’ll be told we don’t agree with the decision and he’ll be taken through why we don’t agree with that decision. 

‘Obviously the appointments are the most obvious way that officials are either appointed or demoted.’ 

Valentine Holmes made no mistake and kicked the penalty as the Cowboys sealed a 27-26 win 

While the NRL acknowledged the Bunker made the wrong decision by awarding the Cowboys the penalty, it insisted referee Chris Butler was right in allowing North Queensland to use a captain’s challenge. 

The Tigers argued Cowboys skipper Chad Townsend should not have been allowed to ask the Bunker to review the contact between Feldt and Kepaoa as Butler had not stopped the game. 

‘You won’t find anything in black and white in regards to what happened yesterday,’ Annesley said.

‘In our view it was allowable in those circumstances. The rules around a captain’s challenge talk about you can challenge any decision for the referee to stop the game.’