need to accept

tackle refs Matt Cecchin and Henry Perenara dropped as NRL wants referees to vocalise tackle count

Referees Matt Cecchin and Henry Perenara have been dropped from this weekend's finals fixtures after their tackle count error in the Cowboys Sharks elimination final on Saturday.

Beau Ryan scored the Cronulla Sharks' opening try in the eighth minute at Sydney Football Stadium but replays later showed it was awarded on the seventh tackle by referees Matt Cecchin and Henry Perenara.

Shayne Hayne and Ashley Klein have been named to adjudicate the Manly Cronulla semi final, while Ben Cummins and Gerard Sutton will referee the Storm Knights clash.

The NRL has released a statement saying it has taken steps to prevent another seventh tackle error, saying on field referees will be expected to vocalise each tackle so that players and the entire match officials squad will be aware of the count at all times.

It says all match officials squads have been reminded of their responsibility in assisting the head referee, while the video referee will also have additional responsibilities in relation to the tackle count.

NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said while human error is a fact of life, Saturday's circumstances "remain unacceptable."

"The referees accept that there are consequences for actions and that is likely to cost them significantly in the finals series," Greenberg said in a statement.

"We do need to keep a sense of perspective. At our end we need to ensure that everything can be done to prevent human error.

"We also need to accept that in a game as intense and as fast paced as rugby league that you will never eradicate all mistakes either on the part of the players or the officials.

"We will be doing everything we can to ensure this does not happen again."

The NRL admitted at half time on Saturday that all six match officials had made a mistake and it was announced immediately after the match an inquiry would be held.

NRL referees coach Daniel Anderson said there was no excuse as to why the incident occurred when the two video referees and touch judges also share the responsibility to correctly count the tackles.

"We've got six or seven people that count the tackle count in every game and all the fail safes failed at the same time," he told Grandstand on Saturday.

"That's the most disappointing aspect of it, it is not a single error. It's a whole match official crew who can hold their hand up and admit we let down our rugby league public at that moment.".