“That’s where games are won and lost,not by who has got the whistle and the enforcement of the rules.

“Teams have got 80 minutes to try to win a game of football. While every decision a referee makes has an impact on the game,the players have got the ability in their own hands to turn the outcome of the game.”

In a blatant attempt to earn a penalty,Parramatta winger Blake Ferguson clutched his neck after a seemingly innocuous tackle in the finals loss to Penrith. It prompted Nathan Cleary and Ryan Papenhuyzen to claim milking could decide a grand final and that administrators had to step in to stop the scourge.

However,Annesley put the onus on players and trainers to do the right thing.

“Referees are not doctors,” he said.

“We saw the incident a year or two ago with Nene Macdonald who had a serious leg fracture and the referees didn’t stop the game.

“It was a massive controversy over why the referees didn’t stop the game. If trainers request the game to be stopped,they are going to stop it.

“It’s not the referee’s job to determine whether it’s a legitimate stoppage or not.

“It’s not something the referees can take a risk with in trying to second guess whether the players are seriously injured or not.”

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