The NRL’s top referee Ashley Klein was allowed to officiate in the code’s biggest games despite having had a gambling problem that cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
An investigation by the Herald can reveal the NRL knew of Klein’s gambling issues for four years but let him continue to referee matches at the top level.
The experienced whistle blower, the highest profile match official in rugby league, is due to referee next week’s second State of Origin match in Melbourne, his 14th interstate clash in a row.
But away from the…