The National Rugby League blamed a "technical error in the Ticketek system" for allowing online ticket sales to non-members of two clubs today.
It allowed the public to snap up tickets for Saturday's preliminary final clash between top-of-the-ladder St George Illawarra Dragons and No.3 Wests Tigers a day earlier than expected.
Ticket sales today were meant to have been limited to only the clubs' members.
"The NRL apologises for any inconvenience caused to our club members as a result of this system failure beyond our control," chief operating officer Graham Annesley said.
Ticket sales were suspended while the glitch was ironed out. They had resumed by lunch time.
