Seven play drama: St George Illawarra Dragons score illegal try

The NRL were saved of a major embarrassment after revelations St George Illawarra scored a try on the seventh play. Referee’s boss Jared Maxwell has already made a major change as a result.

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St George Illawarra scored a try on the seventh play in their loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night prompting referee’s boss Jared Maxwell to already alter the on-field process of awarding a try.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Jack Bird’s fifth minute try to give the Dragons a 6-0 lead should never have been awarded as it occurred on an extra tackle.

The bungle happened because on-field referee Adam Gee counted the fourth tackle twice. The confusion arose as a result of a rare occurrence where the bunker overturned an on-field decision to deny Dragons five-eighth Talatau Amone a try. Gee had given Amone a four-pointer before Chris Butler in the bunker intervened ruling Amone had been tackled before he got back up to score.

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Amone was allowed to play the ball again but the two minute delay caused Gee and other officials to count the fourth play twice.

The Dragons took a hit up on the next tackle via Michael Molo which should have led to a handover. However, Gee called fifth and last on the next play with an Amone grubber leading to Bird scoring on the seventh tackle.

The error was picked up during the review process on Friday.

“I can pinpoint where it’s happened,” Maxwell said. “When have you seen a bunker overturn a try and then the restart is a play the ball? I don’t think I’ve seen that ever.

“It’s not good enough but it is incredibly rare. No one (on Thursday) references what the tackle count is.

“They have replayed the play instead of calling it as the next tackle. The tackle count has just been put to a side and then everyone verbalises that it is tackle four. Everyone has four in their head but it should have been fifth and last.”

The officials were saved of a major fallout with the Dolphins going on to win 26-12. Even if the Dragons did walk away winners the NRL has shown previously that they would not reverse the result.

Jack Bird scores on the 7th tackle.

The Sharks won an elimination final against North Queensland in 2013 after a seventh tackle try.

Maxwell has already revamped the dialogue the on-field referee must provide after a try starting from Friday’s clash between Parramatta and North Queensland.

“We’ve refined the communication made by the referee,” Maxwell said. “They have to verbalise what the next tackle count would be so it is documented and it’s on air. Everyone will be aware of the tackle count.

“When they request the bunker to review a try scoring play the first thing that comes out of the referee’s mouth is the tackle count. Now they will document the tackle count even if they have awarded the try.

“It’s not worth the referee going into detail about the play about what you believe has occurred, because the video review system will check that.”

Originally published as Seven play drama: St George Illawarra Dragons score illegal try