‘What’s going on?’: Controversy rages over Cowboys star’s crucial try

Footy commentators were blowing a gasket as they accused the bunker of letting a Cowboys star get away with game-winning murder.

Was he offside or not?

North Queensland’s crucial final try in a nailbiting two-point win over Canberra has come under scrutiny as commentators questioned whether Justin O’Neill was offside.

Valentine Holmes converted to tie up the scores 20 minutes from fulltime before a penalty goal 10 minutes later sealed a 26-24 victory to hand the Raiders their third loss in a row.

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Scott Drinkwater had possession 10m out from Canberra’s line and drifted across-field before grubbering through for his centre, who led the chase and grounded the ball in the in-goal.

You need both feet either in line with, or behind, the kicker to be deemed onside but Fox League commentators Cooper Cronk and Andrew Voss thought O’Neill had broken early and edged ahead of Drinkwater when the five-eighth’s left boot made contact with the Steeden.

“He’s offside. They will check that and that will be walked back. No try,” Cronk said.

“Justin O’Neill hasn’t timed his run. Drinkwater just slides to his left. He goes sideways, and that forces O’Neill to go in front. For me, that’s no try and that will be called back.

“To me, his left foot is in front of the line.”

Voss agreed. “You’re right, he’s offside. You’ve got to have both feet behind the foot kicking the ball, so standby,” he said.

“If this is overlooked, Canberra fans will hop in their cars in the nation’s capital and see if they can get to Townsville to complain. It’s got to be offside, it’s offside.

“They (the officials) are failing the system if they haven’t picked it up.”

There was only a hair in it.

The on-field referee awarded the try, but even when that happens, the bunker always reviews four-pointers. It means replays would have been looked at, but the officials decided O’Neill had no case to answer and they let his effort stand.

As Holmes lined up his conversation, then nailed it, Voss couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“What’s going on here? I’m waiting for the whistle to blow to say, ‘Hang on’,” he said.

“I’ve got to ask the question — is the bunker on a smoko?”

Journalist John Stensholt said on Twitter it was “offside you idiots” while radio presenter Chris Beckhouse wrote: “That’s a no try!”

After a horror start to the year, the Cowboys have now won three on the trot, relieving some of the pressure on new coach Todd Payten.

His opposite number Ricky Stuart will be looking for answers though as the Raiders stutter early in a season in which many were predicting them to be a top-four lock.

Originally published as ‘What’s going on?’: Controversy rages over Cowboys star’s crucial try