We were hard done by: Malum

LAE Snax Tigers coach Steve Malum called for consistency from referees in the semi-professional rugby league competition, after his side’s round two Digicel Cup 13-10 loss to Gulf Isapeas in Port Moresby.
Malum’s concerns were rooted on a couple of refereeing calls that gave the impression his players had more than just their opposition to contend with in an admittedly scrappy affair at the Lloyd Robson oval.
“We probably didn’t deserve to win outright by the way we played, but we were really hard done by some decisions and we could have scraped through,” Malum said.
“It just looks like a blatant disregard for the work we do, when we as coaches put so much time and effort into player and team preparations, and then come across this (biased and/or sub-standard officiating).
“It has gone on for a long, long time, and while this competition has raised the level and quality of rugby league adjudicators of the game need to raise their standard too.”
An incident that did go unnoticed by both referee and touch judge took place in the 75th minute when contact was made to the head of a Tigers player causing him to lose possession 10m out of the Isapea line.
A knock-on was ruled and was the break Isapeas needed.
Malum also said Isapeas had rulings go against them.
“They came to play, and we didn’t but we also had a couple of tries disallowed,” Malum said.
The Tigers coach has played a major role in the development of rugby league throughout the country since the 1980s, having also served on the national and international stage.        
But the coming weeks will not get any easier for the Tigers as Malum’s charges play away at three of the toughest locations in the competition.
They play the Mioks in Wabag this weekend followed by a trip to Kokopo to meet the Agmark Rabaul Gurias and then face off with TNA Simbu Lions in Kundiawa.