Stone axed after video blunders

Experienced video referee Mick Stone has been axed by National Rugby League referees boss Robert Finch following his blunder in Friday night's Bulldogs-Sydney Rooster's match.

Stone was the second video referee to be demoted in a week after Chris Ward was stood down last Monday following his handling of the South Sydney-Canberra match.

Finch says the league is taking action to improve the video referee process but the refereeing standard remains extremely high. Stone incorrectly awarded a try to Andrew Ryan after the Bulldogs lock cleaned up a Brent Sherwin kick.

Replays indicated Ryan was offside and the Roosters should have been awarded a penalty.