'Unacceptable': Eden Park boss vows to track down fans who pelted referees with bottles

Eden Park top boss says he’s disappointed referees were pelted with bottles at last night’s Warriors match and he intends to work with authorities to track down the culprits.

Warriors fans were seen throwing bottles at referee Ashley Klein and his assistants after the side’s loss to the Newcastle Knights last night.

As the officials walked off the pitch down the Eden Park tunnel, Warriors fans were seen throwing bottles and booing them as security escorted the officials away quickly.

The stadium’s chief executive Nick Sautner told Ryan Bridge TODAY he would “work through the issue” with the NRL and Warriors.

“It’s disappointing.

“It’s no different to field invasion. We want to provide a safe working space for our staff and for the players and fans, and that was very disappointing.”

He said while there was “passion associated with sport”, he wouldn’t tolerate unruly behaviour.

Two major decisions went against the home side during the game, one being a strip called on Te Maire Martin and Ali Leiataua knocking the ball on from a Kalyn Ponga pass, which were checked by the bunker and helped to limit any momentum the Warriors were building.

Speaking on Sky Sport, Shaun Johnson praised Klein’s refereeing and condemned the crowd’s actions.

“It leaves a bit of a sour taste in your mouth under what’s been an unbelievable night,” the former Warriors halfback said.

“The colours, the energy, the happiness, the celebration. But there’s just no need for it. It’s just embarrassing.

“Ashley Klein probably reffed the best game of rugby league I’ve seen in a long time tonight.

“He didn’t take any gamesmanship in terms of people laying down. He didn’t let people approach him whinging. He didn’t make the game about him. He let the players come and play and essentially they dictated the outcome.”

However, Johnson acknowledged there could be some frustration directed towards the bunker.

“Chris Butler’s over there in the bunker and there were a couple of calls there that I’m sitting here scratching my head at.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m a Warriors fan, whoever, just as rugby league fan in general, you can’t get those wrong. And the ruling on one of them, which was the Te Maire Martin one, which really got me, which is the strip.

“Now, the terminology that came through the earpiece and hearing Chris Butler overturn this call was that Te Maire Martin regrips his fingers to strip the ball.

“Now, that is actually taking the absolute piss. That is absurd. That is having zero feel for what it’s like to be out there in the moment.

“It’s actually having zero feel. You can tell Chris Butler has never been bumped off in his life. I have. Okay, so I can actually talk to this.

“When you get bumped off, you cannot even in a world put your mind into a place of, ‘I need to regrip my finger to strip the ball’.”

Johnson finished with further praise for Klein.

“In terms of the energy felt around here, it’s unfair to take it out on Ashley Klein because he did everything exactly as he should.

“And I thought, to his credit, hearing him through the comms, which we are very much privy to, it was a really special and well reffed game and I hope we see him in a prelim or the grand final because that’s what those games need to have.”

Referee Ashley Klein was praised by former Warrior Shaun Johnson for how he handled the match at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport

In 2010 six people were arrested inside Eden Park for disorder-related behaviour, with referees having bottles fired at them during a Four Nations match between the Kiwis and Australia.

A crowd of 44,324 watched that test, which Australia won with a 34-20 victory.

This latest incident comes a day after Hawthorn fans at the MCG in the AFL preliminary finals threw bottles at the umpires after their side lost to the Brisbane Lions.

The AFL said it would work with security at the venue and Victoria police to find those throwing the projectiles.

“If identified they will be banned from games and the stadium for a minimum five years,” a statement from the AFL read.

“The passion for footy is unmatched in Australian sport, however, what transpired last night by a number of individuals was dangerous and crossed the line.”