Rogue ball not only becomes part of the play but effectively decided the game

RUGBY league’s newest villain left Hunter Stadium on Sunday night in a backpack after not only becoming part of the play but deciding the game.

Controversy as stray football costs Tigers

RUGBY league’s newest villain left Hunter Stadium on Sunday night in a backpack.

Disappearing as it arrived, in mystery.

“Ah, this is it, yeah,’’ NRL ground manager Bob Lanigan told The Daily Telegraph as he tucked an old Steeden into his black bag.

“No idea where it came from. Someone in the crowd just hurled it over onto the field.”

And you all know what happened from there, right?

For while the NRL is no stranger to bizarre circumstance, when was the last time you saw a rogue ball not only tossed into play, or become part of it — but effectively decide a game.

For that’s what happened in Newcastle.

The villain emerging only minutes into the second half when Newcastle halfback Trent Hodkinson, his side attacking the Tigers tryline, put up a towering bomb.

But where did it come from? Nobody could say.

Korbin Sims kicks the stray ball as Jordan Rankin tries to take a high kick.

Only that it was there, sitting right on the 20m line as the Knights players chased through.

None of which Tigers Jordan Rankin winger knew.

No, he was on his tryline. Positioning himself under said bomb, then jumping to take it when ... zing ... another seed went flying through his field of vision.

And how that came about, well, there was no mystery at all. Replays showing Korbin Sims booting our villain directly at Rankin as he attempted to catch its mate.

And from there ... well, Rankin dropped the ball (the proper one), the Tigers were force into a drop out and Newcastle scored.

Speaking afterwards, Sims said he didn’t seen the villain.

Just sort of, err, connected.

Elsewhere, Rankin was banned from commenting on the incident while Tigers coach Jason Taylor, somewhat incredibly, said it had no bearing on the game.

But surely it shouldn’t have happened, right?

“Oh, it’s horrendous that in a game of NRL that can happen,’’ Taylor continued. “But you’ve got to catch the ball.

The rogue football which made it onto the field at Hunter Stadium.

“There was one ball that had to be caught, and it needed to be caught. That’s it.

“Stuff like that is happening at training all the time. Guys are kicking balls and other balls are flying around the place ... it’s not an excuse to drop it.”

Well, we reckon it is.

And so does the NRL rule book, which apparently states that should this ever happen, there should be a turnover.

Regardless, it never did.

But what we can tell you is that just like so many great Knights stories, this one is born out of the Lakes United club.

For just as Lakes produced Paul Harragon, Adam Muir and the Kimmorley brothers, so their famed club logo — a muscular, flexing seagull — was imprinted on Sunday’s match winner.

Indeed, had said footy not been seized immediately after deciding the game, there is every chance it would be the recipient of a tickertape parade up Hunter Street today.

Maybe even have the southern hill named in its honour.

For this was no villain in the Hunter.

No, this was a Knights moment worthy of a 10 rating in The Daily Telegraph. At the very least, a lap of honour.

Instead, it went home in a backpack.

Originally published as Rogue ball not only becomes part of the play but effectively decided the game