Blow Call Could Cost NRL's North Queensland Cowboys Nearly $1M

National Rugby League club North Queensland Cowboys' "controversial exit from the finals in a match marred by a seventh-tackle try might have cost the club up to" A$1M ($930,000) in lost revenue, according to Stuart Honeysett of THE AUSTRALIAN. The full impact of "the refereeing blunder" was revealed Monday "when the six officials in charge of the game were dumped for this week's semi-finals." Cowboys CEO Peter Jourdain also met NRL CEO Dave Smith "over Saturday's controversial elimination final." A source said that the Cowboys "had missed out" on A$50,000 for failing to make the semifinals but that amount would have risen to A$1M "if the club's fairytale run had continued all the way to the grand final." The "figure includes revenue the club would have earned in prizemoney, merchandising and corporate sales, sponsor bonuses, and potential sponsors and season ticket-holders for next season" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/17).