Billy Slater says he thought his controversial four-point would be disallowed

STORM champion Billy Slater says he should never have been awarded his controversial try against the Broncos as the NRL comes under pressure to change the drop-kick rule.

Billy Slater of the Storm celebrates with team mates after scoring a try during the Round 7 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Friday, April 20, 2018. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE

STORM champion Billy Slater says he should never have been awarded his controversial try against the Broncos as the NRL comes under pressure to change the drop-kick rule.

In a statement that will rub salt into Brisbane’s wounds, Slater admits he was as shocked as anyone to be given the try that ignited Melbourne’s 34-20 defeat of the Broncos on Friday night.

In the 10th minute, Slater appeared to lose control of the ball as he clumsily drop-kicked ahead. After racing through to touch down, Slater shook his head, suggesting to the match officials that he believed he was guilty of knocking on.

A drop, a kick or both?

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was left stunned by the NRL bunker’s decision to confirm a try and Slater later admitted he expected to see the red light.

“If you ask me, I’ll be honest, I don’t think it was a try,” he said.

“Initially, I thought, ‘No way will they give this’, but the NRL knows the rules better than me.

“Obviously I didn’t know the rules, so you learn something every day and that’s what I learnt.

“I was actually pretty dirty on myself that I didn’t run the ball. I thought there was an opportunity to score without kicking it, but as the process went on, I thought, ‘Geez, they are going to award this’.

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“I was as surprised as everyone.

“I can’t remember what I said on the field, but I didn’t think it was a try in my mind. Someone said to me after the game you can drop kick it, but I guess it’s not for me to say (if the NRL should change the rules), it’s just my opinion.

“It will be a talking point but those things happen and it went my way.”

Bennett later slammed the decision as a “game-changer” that has ramifications for the code. But Bennett’s former champion halfback, Broncos legend Allan Langer, often terrorised opponents with drop-kicked grubbers during his decorated career.

The try proved to be a crucial one.

NRL referees boss Bernard Sutton defended the Slater decision, saying under the rules a ball-carrier can drop-kick at any time — not just in the act of attempting a field goal.

“For it to be a drop-kick, the ball must be intentionally released from the hands and then kicked immediately when it rebounds from the ground,” Sutton said.

“It’s important to note a drop-kick can occur at any time during a match and does not have to be an attempt at a field goal.

“With that in mind, the bunker correctly confirmed the decision of a try.”

Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith admits the Slater decision could have gone either way.

“I thought there was a chance the refs could award it,” he said. “If you intentionally go for a drop-kick, it’s play on in my mind.

“It was 50-50 there, but it fell our way and we’ll take it.”