NRL referee Gavin Badger has been dropped from first grade with referees boss Robert Finch admitting Monday night's spiteful clash between the Dragons and Storm had been handled poorly.

Finch also revealed Badger (right) had missed a crucial meeting on the day of the controversial game where referees were warned of an increase in on-field tension in the run to the semi-finals.

Badger was dropped after the farcical sending-off of Dragons prop Jason Ryles for kicking Melbourne front-rower Jeff Lima at a scrum in the Storm's 26-0 win.

The incident occurred after both teams had been involved in a wild melee in the 22nd minute of the physical encounter.

Ryles escaped suspension - the 26th minute incident was not mentioned by the match review committee - and Finch admitted Badger had erred in giving Ryles his marching orders.

"I'm sure, in hindsight, he (Badger) would have handled things differently," Finch said.It beggars belief that Badger was even appointed to one of the marquee matches of the round.

"There's no doubt the events leading up to the send-off influenced his decision," Finch said.

"Quite clearly, he may have taken the option of putting the players in the (sin-) bin but whether he would have taken the same action again is doubtful."

Finch had briefed NRL first-grade referees at a meeting on Monday, alerting officials that tensions traditionally rise as teams fight for ladder position.

"This happens every single year," Finch said.

"After State of Origin and in the end of season games the emotion and the tension builds - it's an annual event."

But he admitted Badger, who was in transit to Melbourne while the meeting took place, should have been given a "heads-up".

"We probably weren't as ready as we should've been," he said.

"I think the intensity did take him by surprise.

"The emotion created a situation that was tough to handle."

Team-mate Ben Hornby however defended Ryles' actions by saying he was reacting to having his foot stomped by Lima.

"He feels he was provoked but it was heat-of-the-battle stuff and what happens out there stays out there," said Hornby.

In other league, news Broncos forward Greg Eastwood says Brisbane will react to coach Wayne Bennett's stinging "spray" with a high-octane performance against Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

"The Bulldogs loss was a kick in the arse for us and another poor (second half) performance last Friday night was a stab in the back," said the Kiwi international who has upped his workload in a bid to get fitter for the finals.

"It's really sunk in to the players. It was pretty dull around the place after Wayne's spray.

"It's sunk in for the boys and today's training was really good, the intensity was awesome.

"Sometimes you need a rocket to stop you getting too cocky."