Mitch Moses says the NRL are "just making up their own charges", slamming the match review committee for citing his Parramatta teammate Dylan Brown over a referee push.
Eels five-eighth Brown has pleaded guilty to the grade-two contrary contact charge he incurred for bumping into referee Gerard Sutton while running to contest a kick in Monday's 30-12 loss to Canterbury.
Brown had eyes for the ball and put his hands into Sutton's back while running from behind the referee, who did not see him coming.
The New Zealand international will serve his one-game ban in next Sunday's clash with Gold Coast given Parramatta have the bye this weekend.
With the improving Eels still in the fight for a top-eight berth, Moses was incensed that his star halves partner had been charged for the contact, which he felt was completely incidental.
"I don't understand it," Moses told AAP at NSW camp for the second State of Origin match.
"He's competing for the ball, he's got his eyes up for the ball.
"I don't know what you want him to do, stop competing and pull out of the play? Obviously the ref is there but it's a hard one."
Players have received suspensions for contact with match officials before, with Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes notably sitting out one game in early 2024 for pushing Chris Butler.
But the situation is complicated by the fact Wests Tigers halfback Jarome Luai also pushed a referee to the ground during round 14.
Luai was not even charged for making contact with Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski as he too ran towards a kick in Sunday's loss to Penrith.
"The judiciary is probably just making up their own charges at the moment. It's all over the shop," Moses said.
Brown had a good track record with the match review committee until now, having not been cited in the last three years.
Moses said his long-time teammate wasn't the type to show unnecessary aggression on the field, either.
"There's not a bad bone in him," Moses said.
"He's one of the nicest kids you'd ever meet. I don't think he's ever been in a push and shove on the field, not once.
"And we're charging him for making contact with the ref while he's competing on a play while there's a high ball in play. I just don't understand.
"No player means to go out and run into a ref.
"I just don't understand where that mindset comes from, and we lose one of our best players because of it? Because he's competing on a play? It just doesn't make sense."
