Dane Gagai avoids ban for swearing at ref – after no Origin suspension for punching Matt Burton

Newcastle centre Dane Gagai won’t miss a minute of football despite being sin-binned for swearing at referee Peter Gough in Friday night’s 42-12 defeat against the Roosters.

The NRL’s match review committee has deemed that Gagai has no case to answer, but issued the outside back with a ‘concerning act warning’.

The veteran was frustrated in the second half on the hour mark as Trent Robinson’s men cruised to victory and leapt into the NRL top eight.

It had been assumed that Gagai would face time on the sidelines after Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith was rubbed out for three weeks by the NRL judiciary after calling referee Adam Gee a ‘cheating bastard’ in round 17 against Cronulla. 

It is understood that Gagai’s comments were not deemed as severed as Smith’s. 

Gagai also somehow escaped suspension despite repeatedly punching Matt Burton in the head during the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 13.

Gough was in no mood for Gagai’s verbal abuse at McDonald Jones Stadium, sin-binning the star as his frustrations boiled over.

‘That’s the second time this set,’ Gough was heard saying to Knights players as they questioned the on-field decision.

‘He’s (Gagai) spraying me, swearing at me from well over there. ‘I can’t tolerate that.’

Smith was referred straight to the judiciary for contrary conduct after he abused Gee and was slapped with a three game ban. 

Newcastle produced another insipid performance on home soil, with Knights legend Andrew Johns labelling the effort ‘hopeless.’

‘The Roosters were in third gear, really,’ Johns said on Channel Nine.

‘(James) Tedesco looked like it was the big kid playing against the small kid. He was out of this world.

Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith was rubbed out for three weeks by the NRL judiciary after calling referee Adam Gee a ‘cheating bastard’ in round 17 against Cronulla

NSW Blues fans were furious after Gagai somehow escaped suspension despite repeatedly punching Matt Burton in the head during the Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 13 (pictured right)

‘Without Kalyn Ponga (due to a failed HIA) on the field for Newcastle they lack punch, creativity, speed.

‘It was just an ordinary performance. I could say worse things, but it was just ordinary, hopeless.’

Given Johns is a paid consultant for Adam O’Brien’s team, it speaks volumes. 

‘It’s been a tough, shitty season,’ a deflated O’Brien admitted in his post-game press conference.