NRL 2023: Graham Annesley admits Dragons were robbed in game-changing call

NRL head of football Graham Annesley has admitted the St George Illawarra Dragons were dudded in a crucial call against the Parramatta Eels. Watch the video and have your say.

Jacob Liddle about to be stripped of the ball by Clint Gutherson. Picture: NRL Photos

Look away Ryan, you won’t like what comes next.

The NRL has conceded St George Illawarra were the victims of an officiating clanger on Sunday afternoon, confirming the worst fears of their coach Ryan Carr after his side succumbed to Parramatta in a cliffhanger at Commbank Stadium.

It wasn’t exactly a banner weekend for the match officials. The Wests Tigers were also the victims of a blunder after the officials gave the green light to a Jack Wighton pass that led to a Sebastian Kris try and prompted renewed calls for technology to rule on forward passes.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley conceded on Monday that it should have been disallowed because Wighton’s pass was forward.

Mind you, Dragons fans and officials were even more frustrated after they were deprived of a try when Jacob Liddle was ruled to have lost the ball in a Clint Gutherson tackle before Junior Amone scored in their 20-26 loss.

Carr was emphatic that it should have been cleared because Gutherson had deliberately stripped the pill. On Monday, Annesley agreed. Cold comfort for Dragons fans, who have watched their side lurch from one defeat to the next over the course of the season.

Jacob Liddle was ruled to have had a loose carry on this play.

Amone’s try would have given them healthy buffer in their quest to finish the season on a positive note. Instead, it was denied and they were run down.

“First thing I would say is Gutherson goes in trying to make a tackle - there is no question about that,” Annesley said.

“The fingers curl up on top of the ball and there is a raking motion that dislodges the ball. The action of Clint in this by raking the ball and dispossessing Liddle means the tackle count should have restarted and that should have been a try in our view.”

While the Dragons can see the finish line in a season of abject disappointment, the Raiders are still in top four contention.

Their cause was helped by some good fortune on Sunday afternoon in the nation’s capital, although Wighton was charged on Monday morning for his comments to referee Peter Gough in the dying minutes at GIO Stadium.

Earlier, he had set ups Kris try with a dodgy pass that was somehow given the thumbs-up.

“Look at the motion of the hands - appears to be forward,” Annesley said.

“To finish it off, it hits the ground and bounces which makes the whole thing look a bit of a mess. The touch judge cleared it and of course we know Sebastian Kris went on to score.

“For one reason or another that has affected his judgement of that particular pass. I don’t think any logical observer or reasonable observer would look at that and say it is not a forward pass.

“So in our view, it is a forward pass.”

Pushed on whether it was time to use technology - the NRL has shelved plans to introduce it- Annesley said: “I know there are people who would suggest we should be able to use the existing technology we have to rule on these types of incidents.

“But how do you determine which ones you do and which ones you don’t. Which passes do we call it into play for and which ones do we not? Who decides what is a blatant forward pass and what isn’t?

“It will get us into even more strife.”

St. George Illawarra coach Ryan Carr wasn’t smiling on Sunday. Picture: AAP/Dean Lewins

There was some good news for the Dragons on Monday. Centre Zac Lomax was cleared of a head slam by the match review committee on Andrew Davey.

Annesley conceded the incident didn’t look good but insisted he didn’t deserve to be charged.

“There were claims this was a head slam and was I say on first examination, it doesn’t look good,” Annesley said.

“Under the laws of the game or judiciary code, for it to be a head slam there has to be a hand or arm across the head or neck. In this case, you will see quite clearly that Lomax has actually got hold of the ball carrier’s arm and it comes down across his chest.

“There is another important factor here. If you have a look at Hunt, he has hold of his legs and lifts his legs to try to get him to ground as the same time that Lomax has weight on the top.

“With Lomax over the top, the ball carrier comes down and hits the ground very hard. There are two players involved and their actions individually are not offences.

“It does have a severe outcome in terms of impact with the ground….. but it is not necessarily a breach of the rules.”

Wighton charged over ref comments

Canberra star Jack Wighton has been charged with contrary conduct by the match review committee after accusing referee Peter Gough of “trying hard” to help the Wests Tigers win on Sunday afternoon.

Wighton faces a $3000 fine over the comments, which came after the Raiders star was penalised for a high tackle on Starford To’a at the end of their game in the nation’s capital.

Jack Wighton has been charged with contrary conduct by the match review committee. Picture: Getty Images

The Raiders hung on to win the game and keep alive their hopes of a top four finish.

“You’re trying hard to give this to them, Wighton said.

“You’re trying hard. That was a good tackle.”

Gough replies: “If you want to stay on the field, stop.”

It is understood Wighton escaped more serious sanction because his comments were said in a sarcastic fashion rather than being malicious or aggressive.

Originally published as NRL 2023: Graham Annesley admits Dragons were robbed in game-changing call