NRL 2022: Graham Annesley defends NRL bunker over controversial calls

The NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley has attempted to laugh off fan outrage over a bunker ‘howler’ from the Broncos big win on Thursday night.

Adam Reynolds is out due to a groin injury (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Graham Annesley has scoffed at suggestions the bunker was involved in a “howler” as the NRL’s head of football backed two contentious decisions which went against the Knights on Thursday night.

The Broncos ran away with the game 36-12 but the struggling Knights were dealt with two try-scoring calls which went Brisbane’s way.

The first was a no try to centre Dane Gagai after video referee Grant Atkins ruled Gagai lost grip of the ball and failed to regather possession before he put the ball down.

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Annesley had no problem with the call.

“There was clear separation between the hand and the ball and it was not regripped before the ball was forced,” Annesley said.

Fox League’s Michael Ennis labelled the decision as “ridiculous” but Cooper Cronk backed the bunker’s intervention.

The try would have given the Knight a halftime lead but instead they went into the break at 6-all.

The second call resulted in a 70 metre try to Broncos flyer Selwyn Cobbo. The Broncos led by just two when Cobbo crossed in the 68th minute.

Knights defender Adam Clune was blocked by Brisbane forward Jordan Riki, as Te Maire Martin ran behind his teammate before passing the ball.

This is a complete farce. That was a no-try. Gagai denied a fair try. Knights robbed. Get rid of the bunker #NRLKnightsBroncos

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) May 19, 2022

pic.twitter.com/D3x4veAhD3

— onthebeatpete (@onthebeatpete) May 20, 2022

Add this 1 too it im lost. pic.twitter.com/N3o4tkj5Wy

— Supercoach Addicts (@NRL_SC_Addicts) May 19, 2022

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien was left frustrated by the decision. However, Annesley backed what was a “very tight decision”.

“It was certainly not a “howler” as some have suggested,” Annesley said. “The bunker official was Grant Atkins who is one of our leading referees and the circumstances were such that the decision could have gone either way.

“The rules state that a ball carrier must not run behind an active block or flat runner and disadvantage the defensive line. The critical question is whether the ball carrier passed the ball before running behind his own player. The rules also state that defensive decisions that commit defenders to initiating contact with an attacking player will not be deemed obstruction.

“Both of these rules were considered in reaching a decision and although people are free to agree or disagree with the judgement of the bunker, the relevant rules were objectively assessed in reaching the decision. ”

That is not at all consistent with how the obstruction rule has been applied for years now. Awful decision, goes directly against years of obstruction calls.

— Nick Campton (@campo37) May 19, 2022

Obstruction has been a black and white rule for a few years, until… now? #NRLKnightsBroncos

— Pam Whaley (@PamelaWhaley) May 19, 2022

BRONCOS ASSASSINS ENTER ORIGIN FRAME AFTER TERRORIZING KNIGHTS

Broncos backline assassins Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs surged into the Origin frame as the dynamic duo terrorised Newcastle in a 36-12 demolition which propelled Brisbane into the top four.

On a night of drama, the Broncos overcame the shock game-day withdrawal of star halfback Adam Reynolds (groin) to stun the Knights as Kevin Walters’ troops posted their fifth consecutive victory.

The loss of Reynolds prompted Walters to send an SOS for 19-year-old playmaker Ezra Mam, who submitted a nerveless Broncos debut, having a hand in two tries as Brisbane temporarily charged into the top four.

While Mam was classy, it was the Staggs-Selwyn show that lit up McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Broncos have produced their fifth straight win, and they did it without star halfback Adam Reynolds. Picture: Getty Images.

Brisbane’s right-side alliance moved like Torvill and Dean as they torched the Knights, with Staggs flexing his muscle for a NSW Origin debut and the classy Cobbo sending an emphatic message to Queensland coach Billy Slater with another two-try masterclass.

The 19-year-old has now scored seven tries in the past three weeks, posting a double inside the final 10 minutes on his way to 223 metres, 10 tackle busts and four line breaks in a performance that screamed Origin superstar.

This was an iron-willed display by the Broncos in the Steel City. They trailed 6-0 early but held their nerve and turned the screws on Newcastle after the break as Staggs and Cobbo ignited a Broncos onslaught.

MAGIC MAM

No Reynolds. No worries.

Given the chaotic lead-up on game day, teenager Mam was impressive in his much-hyped Broncos debut after Reynolds failed a fitness test just hours before the clash.

After an early error that led to Tyson Frizell’s opening try in the 10th minute, Mam settled quickly and produced his first try assist 16 minutes later when he slipped a pass from close range for Billy Walters to crash over.

Mam defended well and after the break, the Indigenous ace looked more confident, capping a fine display with a kick for Corey Oates’ late try.

COMEBACK KID

Broncos reject Anthony Milford showed nice touches in his Knights debut.

Playing his first NRL game in seven months after his legal ordeal, Milford did well to find his playmaking groove, troubling the Broncos with his probing guile that produced five tackle busts.

Milford was unlucky not to post a try assist when Dane Gagai pounced on his clever 37th-minute grubber kick, only for the video referee to rule the Knights centre lost control as he touched down.

While Milford gave away a late try, he showed the split-second decisions and deft touches honed by 194 NRL games have not deserted him. He will be an asset for the Knights.

Selwyn Cobbo was once again a standout for the Broncos, scoring two tries against the Knights. Picture: Getty Images.

STAGGS-SELWYN SHOW

NSW coach Brad Fittler was on the sidelines commentating for Channel 9. It gave him a close-up view of why Staggs must be a bona fide contender for a sky-blue Origin debut.

Panthers whiz Stephen Crichton has the inside running to replace Latrell Mitchell but Staggs has to be in the NSW conversation. He monstered Bradman Best in defence and it was his 70th-minute bust which released his outside man Cobbo for the try that sank the Knights.

The classy Cobbo was again superb. There is a view he is too young for a Maroons debut but his brutal fend which sent Kalyn Ponga flying smacked of a young Greg Inglis.

The smiling Cobbo is the poster boy of the new spirit at the Broncos. They have a finals feel again.

MIXED RETURN FOR MILFORD AS BUNKER ROBS KNIGHTS

—Jasper Bruce

He might not have been able to inspire the Newcastle Knights to victory on Thursday night but early signs were good for mid-season recruit Anthony Milford.

Playing his first game in nine months, the newly-minted Knight lived up to the hype against Brisbane, the club where he spent seven turbulent years.

He seesawed between hero and villain during his time at Red Hill but Milford proved on Thursday he could be a Knight in shining armour on Newcastle’s quest to salvage its season.

He’ll have to wait for his first win in Knights colours though; even without Adam Reynolds (groin injury), the Broncos surged in the second half to notch their first five-game winning streak since 2017.

The victory wasn’t without controversy; Dane Gagai had a try rescinded for an apparent knock-on then Selwyn Cobbo had one paid despite a clear obstruction in the lead-up.

But Knights coach Adam O’Brien refused to blame The Bunker for the loss.

“(The missed obstruction call) is no reason for that scoreline at the end. It’s inexcusable,” he said.

“I get that it took a bit of wind out of the sails ... It didn’t help.”

It was a mixed return for Anthony Milford, who impressed in the first half but struggled as the game went on. Picture: Getty Images.

The second call opened the floodgates and Brisbane cashed in; the end score (36-12) didn’t do justice to the Knights, who were the better team for most of the first 60 minutes.

“It was good. Tough win,” stand-in Broncos skipper Kurt Capewell told Nine.

“It obviously wasn’t how we wanted to play in the first half but we addressed it at halftime. It was good to see the boys show a bit of resilience and fight back.”

Despite the blowout and some wobbles in the second half, there’ll be plenty for Knights fans to like about Milford’s club debut.

“I thought he had some really good touches early. He’d like some stuff back in the second half,” O’Brien said.

The former Origin star looked dangerous on the right side, especially in the first half, and clearly had a calming influence on the under-fire Kalyn Ponga.

The Knights opted to attack down the right throughout the evening and with good reason: the combination of Milford, Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell will ask serious questions of oppositions as the season goes on.

NSW Origin star Frizell has already proven a favourite target of Milford’s, scoring the first try on Thursday, and could find himself hitting the scoreboard more often in the coming weeks.

Best of all, Milford’s willingness to take on playmaking duties left Ponga free to roam around at fullback. If the two can perfect their chemistry, there’s no telling just how potent they could become as a double act.

“He’s only going to grow,” Ponga said of Milford.

“He’ll start to get more confident, which is what we need from him. I thought he looked good out there.

“It was awesome to be out there with him, to be honest.”

What better chance for Milford to open his account as a Knight than against the mercurial Warriors next weekend.

BRADMAN COMES OFF SECOND-BEST

The Knights have been hampered by injuries all season and Bradman Best looks set to be the next man spending time in the casualty ward.

The barnstorming left centre dislocated his elbow as he attempted to break his fall in the second half. He played no further part in the game.

“It doesn’t look good,” O’Brien said.

Fans and commentators were stunned after the bunker denied Dane Gagai a try. Picture: Getty Images.

“BAD CALL” ROBS GAGAI

The Knights went into the sheds tied 6-6 but were arguably unlucky not to have been in the lead.

In his first game back from a fractured cheekbone, Gagai juggled a Milford grubber and flopped over for a try in the corner — or so he thought.

Replays showed the ball fell slightly from Gagai’s grasp as he grounded it. The Bunker ruled that he failed to re-grip the footy in the split second before it hit the turf and the try was rescinded.

“That’s ridiculous,” Michael Ennis said in commentary.

“Dane Gagai releases his hand, the point of his fingertips, to be able to press the ball down with his forearm. It never comes away.

“That is a bad call.”

The missed opportunity came after Frizell bombed what could have been his second try.

Originally published as NRL 2022: Graham Annesley defends NRL bunker over controversial calls