‘Oh my god’: Bunker overruled by referee again as NRL trend emerges

A new NRL trend has emerged, with the league’s maligned review system rejected by a referee for the second week in a row.

The ref didn't agree with the Bunker.

The NRL Bunker has been overruled by the referee for the second week in a row in Newcastle’s 28-18 win over Manly on Sunday.

Three first half tries gave the Knights the lead and forced the Sea Eagles to play catch-up in the second half.

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A try to Jason Saab in the 61st minute gave Manly a sniff and they were on the attack with seven minutes remaining and desperate to score when they appeared to give away a penalty.

Manly’s Taniela Paseka was playing the ball when it bobbled out of his hand on top of the foot of Knights forward Daniel Saifiti, who was leaving the ruck area after making the tackle.

Referee Peter Gough ruled Paseka had knocked the ball on, but Manly quickly opted for a Captain’s Challenge to review the decision.

The Bunker ruled that Paseka had dropped the ball onto Saifiti’s foot, confirming the penalty.

The Bunker said: “Daniel Saifiti is leaving the ruck. Taniela Paseka puts the ball on his foot. There is no ruck interference. The challenge is unsuccessful.

But after a lengthy delay and reviewing the replay, Gough overruled the Bunker and said Paseka in fact hadn’t dropped the ball — effectively reversing his own decision and ensuring Manly maintained possession.

Was this a knock on? The Bunker thought so. Photo: Fox Sports.

Another view of the play the ball. It was a close call. Photo: Fox Sports.

Fox League commentator Matt Russell said: “No separation between hand and ball. Never lost it. What a result for Manly.”

Michael Ennis pointed out it was the second time in as many weeks the on field referee had overturned the Bunker’s decision.

“The hand stays on the ball, there was no separation, so this is going to be overturned,” Ennis said.

“A couple of weeks in a row. Last week it was Adam Gee that said ‘let’s just have a look at that’. Oh my god.”

Ref overturns the Bunker two weeks in a row!!! #NRLKnightsManly

— Paul Kneeshaw (@Stick_Beetle) May 28, 2023

It comes after referee Adam Gee overturned a call by Ashley Klein in the Bunker in Penrith’s 15-4 win over the Brisbane Broncos last Friday.

Gee disagreed with the Bunker’s ruling that Broncos fullback Reece Walsh was “contesting the ball” in the lead up to a four-pointer and ruled no try.

It was declared a watershed moment in the history of the Bunker and may have become a trend of sorts judging by Gough’s intervention in Newcastle the following week.

Referees overruling the Bunker is becoming a trend. Photo: Fox Sports.

The victory was a crucial one for Newcastle and ensures they stay in touching distance with the top eight.

Three times Kalyn Ponga took shots to the head, yet in his first game at fullback since July last year, Ponga stayed on the field to lead his team to victory.

The match was sealed with five minutes to play when 21-year-old England international Dom Young set sail on a 95-metre run that beat four defenders and outpaced the rest in front of 20,661 fans at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Within 10 minutes Jason Saab was put on report for a high shot on Ponga before Kaeo Weekes’ knee connected with the headgear of the spurned Maroons fullback.

Both incidents were rugged exchanges and roughed-up the star fullback yet Ponga was quickly up and neither shot incurred action from the head injury assessor.

Nor did they take him off when Tolutau Koula was sent to the sin bin in the 64th minute when his shoulder connected with Ponga’s jaw and flattened the fullback.

The Knights celebrate an important win over Manly. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

Despite an intercept that led to Manly’s first try and a dropout that didn’t go 10 metres, Pong’s move back to fullback – his first start since he went off the field after a ninth minute head knock in Newcastle’s 42-12 loss to Sydney Roosters in round 19 – was largely seamless.

He was dangerous with most touches and gave space to men outside him including Greg Marzhew who scored a hat-trick and Bradman Best who was perhaps the Knights’ best.

So good was Ponga that Miller wasn’t required to take the field.

Ennis spoke for many when he said after Ponga’s second knock: “We just hold our breath now, don’t we?”

After a mountain of possession and territory, nuggety wing Marzhew scored for Newcastle in the north-west corner before Tyson Gamble busted through some limp Manly defence to put Best away on a 60-metre score.

Marzhew had a double and then a hat-trick in the space of two minutes when he bullocked over and iced a pair of long-range Newcastle attacks.

The 26-year-old Marzhew has now scored 10 tries in nine games for Manly. He ran for 172 metres, made three line breaks and 11 tackle breaks.

— With NCA Newswire

Originally published as ‘Oh my god’: Bunker overruled by referee again as NRL trend emerges