With Newcastle trailing 1-0 midway through the second half, Jets skipper Nikolai Topor-Stanley challenged Harrison Delbridge for a high ball, and the City defender headed the ball into Topor-Stanley's arm.

Referee Kate Jacewicz - the first woman to control an A-League game - appeared content to play on but a VAR review prompted her to award a penalty, which Jamie Maclaren slotted home.

"Look I understand why they've given it, but I've never been taught to jump with my arms at my side," Topor-Stanley said after the game.

"You need leverage and unfortunately it's hit my arm. That's football.

"I would have been appealing for a penalty at the other end if it was a penalty for us.

"But what can you do?"

The veteran defender added that "referees have never had an easy job ... with VAR, without VAR, there's always controversy."

Newcastle coach Craig Deans said the decision "certainly changed the dynamics of the game" but it was no excuse for his team's defeat.

Asked if he thought a penalty was warranted, he replied: "No, I'm not a fan of VAR to be honest. I think everyone makes mistakes.

"If a referee makes a mistake then we have to live with it. Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes. We can't go back and change them so I don't know why we want to do that with referees."

Dean argued that players need their arms for leverage when contesting a header.

"If you've played the game and you try and attempt to win a header and someone else is trying to do it, you generally have your eyes closed, you generally have your arms in the air and I don't know how he can change that in the game," he said.

"The rule used to be that you needed to make a deliberate play at the ball and I thought that was a good rule."