‘Best captain’s challenge I’ve seen’: Eels’ genius call stuns NRL

The Parramatta Eels have floored fans and commentators with a genius captain’s challenge that Andrew Voss said was “a bit of history”.

The Eels have given the rest of the NRL a lesson in using their captain’s challenge in one of the great uses of the rule just before halftime against the Bulldogs.

But while the call helped the Eels hang on for a win for most of the game, the Bulldogs, despite a mountain of tries disallowed, came back to claim a 22-18 victory in front of over 45,000 fans.

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Leading Canterbury 12-10 with just under four minutes left in the first half, the Eels went down the short side on the last tackle with Mitchell Moses struggling to bring in the ball.

Although the Eels’ half clearly dropped the ball, referee Peter Gough ruled that it was play on with Will Penisini kicking ahead, but too powerfully as the ball went dead in-goal.

Usually that would mean a seven-tackle set for the Bulldogs — but the Eels challenged the call, arguing that they’d in fact knocked the ball on.

That would instead lead to a play-the-ball 18m out with just the regular six-tackle set.

Greg Alexander was trying to make sense of the play, claiming Moses had “got his foot to the ball”.

But referee Gough blew his whistle saying “Parramatta are challenging the decision of the ball going dead, saying it was actually knocked on by Mitch Moses and possession retaken, so the game should have stopped before it went dead”.

The ball had gone dead. Photo: Fox Sports

Moses clearly dropped it cold. Photo: Fox Sports

Andrew Voss was stunned, saying: “See that, they’re challenging saying ‘our halfback knocked it on, you don’t get the seven tackle set’. That’s amazing.

“They’re challenging their decision saying ‘we made the mistake.

“That’s amazing, how smart is that. Parramatta have got professors in their side.”

Alexander said it must have been Gutherson and Moses.

Voss added: “‘You’ve made a mistake because you didn’t detected a knock on from us — surely that’s a first.

“That’s an amazing little passage. A little bit of history...”

Fans were impressed by the move from the Eels brains trust.

“Lol that’s best captains challenge I’ve seen,” one fan said.

“Lmao bollocks, if Eels score there it’s called a drop kick not a knock on,” another argued.

Another fan posted: “That’s a great but strange challenge haha”.

A fourth commented: “Paramatta challenges that they knocked the ball on and therefore it isn’t a 7 tackle set. A smart challenge from them. Funny stuff.”

Another wrote: “Win Lose or Draw it is now. Dr King Gutho.”

Mitchell Moses knows what's going on. Photo: Fox Sports

It’s been an entertaining match between the rivals with the Bulldogs threatening to run away with the result — but were denied several times.

An offside decision late in the first half, an obstruction in the second and some forward pass decisions left Canterbury behind the eight-ball for much of the match.

But the Bulldogs bounced back late, overwhelming the Eels to claim the win and pushing Canterbury to seventh on the ladder.

While the win was good, it was a tough night for the Bulldogs who lost forward Josh Curran in frightening scenes in the first half when he was left on the ground after seemingly collecting the hip of Joe Ofahengaue as he went in for a tackle.

He was stretchered off the field but just after halftime, Fox League’s Lara Pitt reported he was walking around the dressing rooms but was “disappointed he can come back out”.

As it was the Bulldogs’ second concussion of the match, the side have activated 18th man Jake Turpin.

A second medicab was needed in the second half for second rower Jacob Preston, who badly rolled his ankle, with early reports emerging that it was believed to be broken.

Originally published as ‘Best captain’s challenge I’ve seen’: Eels’ genius call stuns NRL