NRL adamant abuse aimed at Kasey Badger ‘isn’t a gender issue’ – as ref escapes the axe over controversial Bulldogs v Tigers clash

The NRL insists the vitriol directed at Kasey Badger from Wests Tigers players ‘is not a gender issue’ – as the under-fire referee was spared the ax after the controversial finish to the Bulldogs versus Tigers match last Saturday.

Badger sinned Tigers forwards David Klemmer (dissent) and Alex Seyfarth (headbutt) late in the game during the spiteful clash at Accor Stadium.

Benji Marshall’s side also saw three decisions overturned by challenges from the captain – and halfback Aidan Sezer avoided a 10-minute spell after a dangerous tackle, and was later handed a four-match ban by the NRL match review committee for dangerous contact from grade three.

That led to a barrage of abuse coming her way, with many fans calling for her firing.

The NRL has confirmed it will be spared the ax and named Badger as referee for Sunday’s match between Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors at Allianz Stadium.

It has since been revealed that Badger regularly deactivates her social media accounts to avoid abuse from excited fans online.

NRL great Billy Slater has jumped to Badger’s defence, with the Queensland Origin coach calling on the keyboard warriors who attacked the novice referee to step in and officiate matches themselves.

Benji Marshall’s team also saw three decisions overturned by challenges from the captain (pictured, Tigers forward John Bateman)

“If you think you can do better, go do it, raise your hand as a referee, don’t go on social media and be a coward and abuse someone,” he said on The Billy Slater Podcast.

‘If you think you can do better than the person you’re trying out against, then put on the boots, grab a whistle, or if you’re trying out against a player, go play the game, you’ I haven’t anyway the right to abuse someone.

‘I think the referees are doing a fantastic job, we need them, if we don’t have referees we don’t have a match.

“To sit in front of a computer or phone and berate someone for a mistake they made while they’re just trying, I think that’s a cowardly act.”

It comes as NRL head of elite competitions Graham Annesley pointed to Badger’s lack of experience in leading the first grade as the problem.

“This is not a gender issue,” Annesley said Monday. “Even when referees make mistakes, they don’t make mistakes because of their gender; they make mistakes because they are human.

‘Many players have towered over the male referees and tried to exert some influence. It doesn’t just happen to female referees. It’s not a gender issue.

“In this particular case, Kasey was there [charge] from her third NRL match she is a rookie referee, and players will look to test novice referees regardless of gender. They’ll see how far they can push them.

‘Referees accept that they are being tested, but we have to know where that line in the sand is and not cross that line. It can turn on the fans. She will learn a lot from that game.”

Graham Annesley, head of the NRL’s elite competitions, pointed to Badger’s lack of experience coaching the first grade as the problem (she is pictured warning Aidan Sezer)

And according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Badger was at one point this weekend at number 1 for Australian sport on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as online abuse threatened to spiral out of control.

“The criticism of Kasey Badger is not sexist, but a true reflection of her incompetence. The NRL is a professional sport and it, like coaches and players, should be held accountable if they bring the game into disrepute. She failed miserably one footy fan tweeted.

A second mattered: ‘Is there a worse referee than Kasey Badger? She makes the most incorrect decisions every game and teams must rely on Captain’s Challenges to maintain the integrity of the game. She just can’t handle it.’

A third added: “Kasey Badger has no idea.”

Other comments on X were so shocking that Ny Breaking Australia chose not to publish them.

Former NRL premiership winner and NRL 360 co-host Braith Anasta branded the online attacks ‘disgusting’.

“Kasey Badger, she’s seen it from all angles, from social media to you name it. “It’s not fair at all, we have to make that clear,” he said.

“We call it cop it on social media, but some of the things that have been said are disgusting. No one deserves it, she doesn’t deserve it, we don’t accept it and it’s a shame.”