STEVE ROACH yesterday stood down as NSW assistant coach before he was sacked for abusing referee Tony Archer after Wednesday night's Origin series decider at ANZ Stadium.

As the unofficial inquest into the Blues' third consecutive series defeat began, Roach announced he would not be seeking any further roles with NSWRL representative teams after admitting to calling Archer a "f---ing cheat" as the referee ran up the tunnel to the dressing rooms at the conclusion of the match.

It is understood Archer heard the comments as he ran past Roach but was not aware who had made them. However, the words were picked up by television- and radio-recording equipment as well as the microphone on Archer's shirt.

Despite apologising to Archer and referees' boss Robert Finch, the former Test prop was left with little option but to resign and the Herald understands he would have been sacked if he had not taken it upon himself to quit first.

"Steve is aware his behaviour in relation to this incident was unacceptable and he's taken responsibility for that," NSWRL general manager Geoff Carr said. "The NSWRL accepts his decision to stand down from any further duties with our representative teams."

ARL chairman Colin Love said a precedent had been set for officials involved with all rep teams, adding: "The situation was regrettable and a repeat by any official from either side would bring severe consequences."

Roach, who was recently named in the NSW Country Team of the Century, was also on the coaching staff of the Country side and has previously been a City selector.

The Balmain great, who was once suspended for patting referee Eddie Ward on the head after being sent to the sin bin, was annoyed that Archer ignored what many in the NSW camp felt was a forward pass by the Maroons in the dying minutes of the match, won 16-10 by Queensland following a late Billy Slater try.

He personally contacted Archer yesterday to apologise and passed on a similar message to Finch.

"They both accepted my apology and I am thankful they were so understanding of the situation, but it still doesn't excuse what I did," Roach said in a statement. "I would hate to think my actions would ever be repeated by junior players. It's not the kind of example I've tried to set during my career."

Archer had come in for heavy criticism from the Blues camp before the match but Finch said he was more than happy with the performance of the NRL's No.1 referee, who controlled all three matches in the series.

"I got exactly what I expected from him," Finch said. "He handled the game well. Most of the penalties he gave were mandatory - high tackle, offside at marker, leading with an elbow, inside the 10 metres on a kick charge-down, that sort of thing. Both teams had plenty of chances to win the game and I thought he contributed to what was a pretty good spectacle."

Following the Blues' latest defeat, the spotlight has been turned on the NSW selectors, who used a study of refereeing trends in Origin matches over the past five years to help them determine the team for Origin I and made few unforced changes throughout the series.

Believing that Origin referees awarded fewer penalties than in the NRL, they opted for a mobile forward pack at the expense of players such as Manly's Test prop Brent Kite, Roosters front-rower Mark O'Meley and St George Illawarra's Jason Ryles.

The Blues also had no ball-playing back-rowers and were dependent on rookie Brisbane halfback Peter Wallace for their kicking game in the first two matches before he was injured and the Roosters scrumbase combination of Mitchell Pearce and Braith Anasta got their chance in Origin III. The loss of Mark Gasnier with a back injury was also a major blow to NSW in the series decider.