NRL admit mistake made in Tigers-Cowboys after legal action threat
The NRL insists the Wests Tigers’ loss to North Queensland will stand despite admitting the bunker got a crucial final-second call wrong in the 27-26 defeat.
In a dramatic fallout to Sunday’s result, the NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley conceded there was not enough evidence for an escort penalty to be awarded.
His admission came as the Tigers considered legal action over the result, angry not so much about the escort call but questions over the process that allowed the challenge to happen.
Down 26-25 with one second to play, the Cowboys claimed Kyle Feldt was escorted off a short kick-off and obstructed from reclaiming the ball.
A penalty was blown but Cowboys captain Chad Townsend asked referee Chris Butler for the play to be reviewed to successfully find the escort and allow a match-winning penalty goal.
Annesley said a penalty should not have been given.
“We’ve examined that from all available footage, and we’re just not satisfied there was enough in that incident to warrant the decision of the bunker,” Annesley said at his weekly briefing.
“Yes there was contact, yes there was a collision.
“But we believe the Wests Tigers player was heading towards the ball, he didn’t look over his shoulder to see who was behind him.”
The Tigers’ main issues however extend beyond the bunker decision.
They are concerned that the bunker influenced Butler, speaking to him after he blew the whistle to stop play.
However the NRL was adamant on Monday that was not the case, and that officials were only informing him how many challenges the Cowboys had left.
The Tigers are also investigating whether the challenge should have been allowed, given no on-field call of escort had been made.
NRL rules state that challenges can only be made in the event of a call that leads to a structured restart, which was not the case when Butler stopped play after 80 minutes.
“You won’t find anything in black and white in regards to what happened yesterday,” Annesley said.
“There is nothing in the rule book that relates specifically to what happened yesterday.”
But Annesley insisted that the challenge was permissible given there was a stoppage, with the Cowboys effectively challenging the end of play.
“The captain can challenge anything from the stoppage back to the previous play-the-ball,” Annesley said.
“We can argue about the semantics or if the rule is clear enough, but let’s go back to the intention of the captain’s challenge.
“If it had been a more blatant foul, would we be happy for it (to be missed)?”
Regardless, his response has raised eyebrows among Tigers officials.
“When he says you won’t find these things in black and white, it would be helpful if they were,” Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis told AAP.
“The other concern is the decision of the referee and why it was being challenged. They still have not articulated what the decision was.
“Was it inaction? Is that decision? Is it the inaction for an incident that didn’t occur (in the wrongly-awarded escort)?”
“We would like to know that and have it explained to us.”
Hagipantelis said a decision on whether an appeal would be launched would be made “expeditiously”.
The issue has also been noted at several other clubs fighting for top-two and top-four spots, with just two wins separating the Cowboys in second from seventh.
Annesley said he could not delve into any potential legal action from the Tigers, but said the result would not be changed.
“I’m not going to make any comment on what the Tigers may do, it’s not up to me. But the referee is the sole judge of fact,” Annesley said.
“From the time he blows the fulltime whistle. He makes those decisions.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments