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Huddersfield Giants boss holds hands up after being fined by RFL for "unconscious bias" comments - Serious About Rugby League

Serious About Rugby League · Sam Brocksom · 2026-08-23T07:37:14+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Huddersfield Giants boss Jim Lenihan has spoken out on the fine he received earlier this week following comments made after his side’s Super League defeat to Bradford Bulls. As part of an RFL Compliance update, Lenihan, alongside Jackson Hastings, Bernard Guasch and the Keighley Cougars, was fined £1,000, with £500 suspended until the end of next season for publicly criticising referees and challenging their integrity. In the press conference, Lenihan accused the officials of “unconscious bias” against his side. He was also reminded of the RFL’s RESPECT policy and told that any further infringement of a similar nature could result in more severe sanctions, including touchline bans. In what was his first pre-match press conference following that fine, the Giants boss was asked his thought regarding the scenario, and whether comments made in the NRL, would have resulted in punishment. “Possibly, probably, I’m not really sure,” he said. “I don’t think it was a massive attack on the person running the day on the refereeing, but I think overall, we’ve been a football side that has got to earn the right to get the good calls off the referee. “I think at the moment, we’re working hard to be that team and to be a side that earns respect from the referees. “It’s quite easy for referees, whether they’re experienced or inexperienced, to look at a side and understand that if you’ve got a Leeds versus Huddersfield, then nine times out of ten the better side that’s recognised, plays well and is seen by those top referees all the time gets good calls. “It’s a long saying that good teams get good calls and bad teams get bad calls, so we’ve got to earn the right to become a good team. “It is what it is, it’s been handed down to me and I’ve got to cop that.” Since his outburst, Huddersfield have gone on to win four games in a row, and with that up-turn in form, Lenihan has seen a different side to the coin he previously berated. He said: “It’s surprising how, when you’re winning games, the calls don’t seem to be as important. “It’s a bit like victory beers and losers beers, they’re different tasting. The sky is a different colour, the grass is a different colour, everything’s better when you’re winning, and it’s not so good when you’re losing. “That’s up to us, and we’ve got to keep working hard.” NRL lowball Super League, Hull FC’s gargantuan signing, and new title favourites – Click here to watch this week’s episode of the Serious About Rugby League Show