NZ Warriors coach Andrew Webster believes the NRL encourages players to milk penalties to gain favour with match officials.
Warriors winger Ed Kosi was criticised by league legend Steve 'Blocker' Roach during Fox Sports commentary for his theatrics in his side's 22-14 win over North Queensland Cowboys.
Kosi stayed down after the tackler made contact with his head, prompting referee Chris Sutton to award the Warriors a penalty, but after the whistle, he leaped back to his feet and returned to position - much to Roach's disgust.
"I've got to say, I'm starting to get annoyed with players staying down, feigning injury,' he said.
"They've obviously been told by the coaches, if you get hit on the chin, you stay down.
"You see straight away, as they got the penalty, straight up to his feet."
Webster can't recall the incident involving Kosi, but suspects the rules in place should shoulder the blame. He feels referees are responding to the onfield pleas and if they weren't, players wouldn't persevere.
"The thing for me around milking and stuff like that is just putting the rules in place to allow it," he said.
"What I mean by that is, if you don't take a dive and fight like hell to get past the lead runner… even though you're obstructed, they will say that you weren't, but if you take a dive, they will say you're obstructed.
"Sometimes, I feel like the game encourages it. We, as coaches, certainly don't encourage it, and I don't hear the players saying, 'let's milk' or 'carry on like this' this week.
"I didn't hear the comment. I've heard it secondhand and I don't know the incident in itself, but sometimes I think the rules allow it.
"If you get a crusher [tackle], for example, and you get pressure on the neck and nothing is wrong with you, if you stay down, you will get the penalty."
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