NRL referee Brett Suttor will survive despite an admission he got wrong a decision that allowed Newcastle to pip Parramatta on Saturday night.

Suttor awarded the Knights a 56th minute penalty, judging Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi had hit Evarn Tuimavave high.

The resulting penalty goal by Kurt Gidley gave the Knights an 8-0 lead, enough to ultimately clinch the game 8-6.

Referees boss Bill Harrigan conceded on Monday the penalty was "harsh" and should not have been awarded, but said Suttor's form had otherwise been good.

"When you've got a referee in form you don't just do anything on one decision," Harrigan told AAP.

"You've got to have a bloke who's out of form or it's got to be an absolute clanger.

"It was just a bad judgment call."

Harrigan said the call, like most refereeing decisions, was just one contributing factor to the Eels' loss.

"There are a number of decisions that can cost a team a game that they themselves are responsible for," he said.

"If there's a decision which had an impact on the game you can say it contributed or it could have a hand in a team losing a game but it certainly can't cost them a game."

He said an apology to Parramatta was unnecessary.

"It's just part and parcel of the game," he said.

"No one's making Brett Morris stand on a soapbox and apologise for not taking that ball (that led to a Queensland try) in the State of Origin (game last Wednesday)."

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