Benji Marshall fumes at match officials over ‘outrageous’ call and admits he ‘feels sorry for his players’ as Nathan Cleary’s Panthers have the last laugh against Jarome Luai’s Wests Tigers

A seething Benji Marshall admitted he ‘felt sorry’ for his players, as he fumed at referees for two controversial calls against star man Jarome Luai, following his side’s 18-14 defeat by Penrith.

Nathan Cleary’s side had the last laugh over their former five-eighth, Luai, as they leapfrogged the Tigers to go one point clear of them in the NRL ladder.

Luai had a mixed reunion with the Panthers, playing a hand in all of the Tigers’ three tries but gifting Penrith penalties ahead of two game-defining scores in Sunday’s second half at CommBank Stadium.

After the teams were locked at 10-10 at halftime, Cleary kicked for goal to put Penrith ahead after Luai tackled Penrith’s new five-eighth Blaize Talagi.

The four-time reigning premiers later scored off an escort penalty, conceded by Luai.

Sat next to the Tigers’ five-eighth, Marshall unloaded on referees, appearing to claim they were too involved in the contest.

‘I thought it was one of our best performances of the year,’ the Tigers boss said, reflecting on the loss.

‘We’re playing against quality opposition that play at a really good level.

‘They test you with their attack. Probably got the best kicking game in the competition. And we went toe to toe with them. And I honestly thought we were the better side tonight.

‘The game is so hard and demanding. And I actually feel sorry for our players because they didn’t actually get to decide tonight.

‘I thought two calls, the first one on Jarome, on last, making a tackle. I thought it was outrageous. That decision took them to 12-10.

‘And the second one, he got done for an escort, which I thought was bad too. And then they scored off the back of that set. Just let them decide. Let them play.

‘The game is actually hard enough. So I’m proud of our boys and proud of the effort. And we’ll keep fighting and turning up like that the way we did tonight and keep improving.’

On reflection on the escort penalty, Marshall said he would be taking his concerns up with the NRL.

 ‘Absolutely,’ he said, when asked whether he’d get in touch with the league.

He again affirmed that the escort penalty was the ‘wrong call’.

‘I agree with protecting the kickers, but he didn’t take his legs out. They didn’t put him in a dangerous position. It was simultaneous when he kicked it and he made contact there. Like, that’s not a penalty.

‘I’m all for protecting kickers. Don’t get me wrong. OK, I just I thought it was the wrong call. And I thought it actually cost us because we’re in a cycle there where they got field position, kicked the goal, got the ball back, went down, got a penalty and then scored, so anyway, I’ve had my rant.’

Luai, meanwhile, was a little more reserved in his comments.

‘I think the ref gave me the explanation of it was a bit careless. So, I understand the rules and in that moment, you know, I understood what I was doing. He’s just in the rules.’

But interestingly, that was when Marshall quickly interjected, saying: ‘He’s saying he doesn’t want to make any comments.’

Despite the contentious penalty, the Tigers’ co-captain almost helped his team to victory in the final 10 minutes when Jack Bird regathered his bomb close to the line and offloaded to Jahream Bula.

But a miraculous cover tackle from Scott Sorensen and Nathan Cleary stopped the fullback inches short of the line and the Panthers held on.

Marking the Tigers’ other ex-Panther in Sunia Turuva, left winger Tom Jenkins scored his first hat-trick in a win that keeps Penrith’s mid-season resurgence humming.

An away clash against the Warriors is set to prove a litmus test in a fortnight, with Penrith only able to lose four more games this season to finish with a 50 per cent winning record.

Three-time reigning wooden spooners the Tigers head into their bye on a four-game losing streak that threatens to undo their improved start to the season.

Jenkins completed his hat-trick, crossing just after Luai was cited for collecting Liam Martin on a kick chase.

But Luai had been involved in everything the Tigers did well in a better first half for Benji Marshall’s side.

He first put boot to ball from his non-preferred right foot ahead of Starford To’a’s try before again swinging to the right side as the Tigers shifted for Turuva to score.

The 28-year-old was at the centre of another memorable moment early in the second half, flooring opposite man and long-term teammate Cleary in a bone-crunching one-on-one tackle.

In his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jeral Skelton gave the Tigers a sniff with 10 minutes to play as Luai and Adam Doueihi found him on the left wing.

But for a second consecutive week, the Panthers rediscovered their gritty best to hit their second bye in form.