The governing body issued breach notices on Tuesday night proposing $20,000 penalties for Robinson's criticism of Cummins in the press conference on Monday night and for an incident in which he allegedly confronted the referee in the Allianz Stadium tunnel after the 20-18 defeat to St George Illawarra.

"We cannot stand by and allow any club to deliberately and blatantly attack our referees," NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said.

"Not only is it a breach of the rules which are there to protect our referees from abuse, but it sets a bad example to the rest of the game, particularly juniors.

"We know from experience that young people imitate their NRL heroes and attacking referees is simply not acceptable.

"We are also trying to encourage young people to become referees and public attacks like this do nothing to achieve that goal."

In a statement the NRL said Robinson had "allegedly approached and harassed referee Ben Cummins in the Allianz Stadium tunnel at the end of the match" before attacking "the credibility of Mr Cummins in his post-match press conference".

Greenberg was also the target of post-match anger from Roosters chairman Nick Politis, who vented his anger over the use of the bunker in an exchange in the tunnel, but there was no sanction over that.

Greenberg said Robinson had not followed the proper procedure to voice his concerns.

"There are proper channels to vent those concerns and they were not followed in this instance," he said.

"Our referees boss, Tony Archer, is happy to talk to any club about issues which arise out of a game and that is the right way to address any problems."

In the emotional whirl of a post-game media conference, the sound of a coach ripping into a referee is too hard to resist.

It's guaranteed click-bait, a compelling sound byte and adds to the "drama" that everyone so adores about the greatest game of all.

It's also becoming a tired act. Sniping and tearing at officials after a defeat, regardless of how valid the point may be, has become the easy way out for coaches whose teams are feeling the pinch, or just lost on the kind of the 50-50 call that has no doubt gone their way in the past.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson kept little up his sleeve when he began his rant after losing to the Dragons. He may as well have plonked the $10k on the desk in front of him and thrown it around the room like 50 Cent in a nightclub before he unleashed his zingers on Ben Cummins and the NRL Bunker.

It's hardly a revolutionary tactic. Matthew Johns was quick to label it a "power play" aimed at ensuring the Roosters don't get lumped with Cummins in the future.

They consider him to be disrespectful and to have a poor working relationship with Jake Friend, the club captain. In their eyes, I'm sure they consider it the honest truth. Most would call it a conspiracy theory.

Wayne Bennett uses it as a diversion when he wants to take the heat off his team, yet does it with more style and substance.

Des Hasler has been a practitioner of the dark art as well, somehow blending a few hard-hitting points with the comedic over the years as he danced along the fine line between sanction and what he might consider a helpful suggestion.

Robinson's performance had all the hallmarks of a coach running out of answers. And his dubious notion that the game should be extra-tough because it was played in Anzac Day was bordering on distasteful, similar to likening a game of football to a war.

Somewhere in the midst of it all, there are probably some points worth reviewing via the correct avenues.

The NRL Bunker has tweaks to be made yet in the overall evidence presented this season, has performed admirably.

If players are lying down to milk penalties, that too is hardly fresh ground to cover, not can it be realistically be blamed on presence of extra video surveillance from officials.

Robinson finds himself in unfamiliar waters. He has been a wildly successful coach in charge of a talented team that has topped the NRL for the past three seasons.

Now with just one win on the board and a perception that the world has turned their back on the tricolours, he must show that he can be an elite mentor not just when the victories roll in like breakers at Bondi Beach.

How can his young players hold it together under increasing pressure if their coach cannot?

- Phil Lutton

brisbanetimes.com.au