Jared Maxwell has survived the axe ahead of the NRL's third round, but referees boss Tony Archer has conceded the leading whistleblower made a critical blunder in Manly's win over Melbourne on Saturday.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was so incensed at Maxwell's performance that he has to restrain himself from commenting on it several times in the post-match press conference to avoid attracting a $10,000 fine.
The focus of Bellamy's ire was a no try decision against Storm winger Young Tonumaipea in the first half, and a second half double movement call against interchange forward Tim Glasby.
Maxwell made the call against Tonumaipea on the run without referring the incident to the video referee, ruling that Tonumaipea knocked on before touching down.
Replays appeared to indicate Tonumaipea's opposite Cheyse Blair touched the ball instead, and in his weekly video review on Tuesday Archer said Maxwell had erred.
"Upon review it is clear there was no knock-on by Melbourne," Archer said.
"It should have been reviewed on the night because it was the incorrect decision."
The decision was critical in the context of a match with the scores locked at 6-all, as Manly went on from there to score three late first half tries to lead 24-6 at the break and were never headed.
There was also widespread conjecture over Glasby's no try, including from Fox Sports commentators Warren Smith and Greg Alexander but Archer backed the call after Maxwell ruled it a no try before referring it to his video referees.
"It is clear from the vision that the video referee assessed that the right leg of Tim Glasby pushed up off the ground and that was a double movement so I support that decision."
Maxwell was retained for round three but will officiate in one of the weekend's lesser games, the Canberra-St George Illawarra clash on Saturday night in the nation's capital.
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