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Controversial bunker calls ruin Canberra Raiders’ perfect record

The Canberra Raiders won’t be happy after their perfect record came crashing down following a string of controversial Bunker decisions.

Eamonn Tiernan
3 min read
March 22, 2024 - 8:23PM
NRL LIVE: Warriors big man strikes first as Raiders waste early chances
NRL LIVE: Warriors big man strikes first as Raiders waste early chances

The Warriors have clinched their first win of the season, beating the Raiders 18-10 in Christchurch after two controversial Bunker decisions denied the visitors.

Canberra were on top between the 20th and 60th minutes, with the Warriors largely kept in the game during that period by the officials who contentiously disallowed a pair Canberra tries to the delight of the sell-out crowd.

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The first came when teenager Ethan Strange barged his way to the line and the No. 6 looked to have scored in the 30th minute.

But referee Liam Kennedy, who had a forgettable night with the whistle, had a problem with the grounding.

It went upstairs and the Bunker didn’t see enough to overturn the referee’s decision, as it rarely does on the 50-50 calls.

The next came in the 59th minute when the Raiders looked to have scored to set up a 16-6 lead, but Kennedy again said no try.

After a lengthy review, the Bunker found a dubious knock on from Canberra captain Joe Tapine in a decision that turned the game.

The Warriors then scored two tries in three minutes in what proved the final points of the match.

The Warriors crossed first when prop Addin Fonua-Blake burst through in the ninth minute thanks to a short ball from Shaun Johnson to the delight of a raucous crowd in Christchurch.

But the lightest man on the field, Xavier Savage, somehow stopped the heaviest, Fonau-Blake, from scoring a double as the Canberra winger dragged down the big man just one metre from the line on the fifth tackle in the 17th minute.

The Raiders hit back when Matt Timoko palmed off one and then went straight over the top of Marcelo Montoya to score out wide in the 32nd minute.

The Green Machine picked up where they left off in the second half and Nick Cotric scored in the corner after Jamal Fogarty threw a great cut-out ball to Matt Timoko who batted it on for his winger.

But the second controversial Bunker call struck next and tries to Luke Metcalf and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck saw the Warriors home.

The hosts retook the lead when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ran almost 30 metres sideways before finding Metcalf to race through and score.

Tuivasa-Sheck sealed the result in his first try since returning to the club following a stint in rugby union.

Here are the talking points out of the match by NCA Newswire’s Matt Cleary.

ADDIN UP

The Warriors exploded out of the blocks and Addin Fonua-Blake opened the scoring when he split the Raiders from five metres out and ran over untouched.

When Rocco Berry caught a Luke Metcalf bomb and offloaded to Fonua-Blake, the big man was odds-on for try number two. Yet Xavier Savage came in from his wing and did very well to bring the big man down, a play that also injured the 123-kilogram front-rower.

Fonua-Blake was typically destructive with 154m, 56m post-contact metres and 24 tackles.

HIGHLIGHTS TEAM

The Warriors seem to be a ‘highlights team’ that can clock off for periods during games.

As they did against Cronulla Sharks and Melbourne Storm, the Warriors dominated the Raiders for long periods. And for the most part of Friday night’s game in front of 17,249 fans, looked the team most likely.

The Raiders were under assault for most of the first half, with the Warriors middle men and centres making big metres, and Shaun Johnson raining bombs on Jordan Rapana.

Yet the Raiders custodian was up to the job and ran the ball back hard, while Jamal Fogarty’s long-kicking kept the Warriors – read: Fonua-Blake – far enough away from Canberra’s line.

After a couple of Warriors turnovers – and with Fonua-Blake off the field - Matt Timoko ran through Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and barrelled over Marcelo Montoya on a blockbusting run to the try-line.

TRIO OF CHALLENGES

Late in the game the Raiders successfully challenged a penalty against Rapana when the fullback spectacularly took out Chanel Harris-Tavita. But with Rapana’s eyes on the ball and Harris-Tavita’s legs over his head, Matt Noyen ruled play on.

A minute later the Raiders challenged successfully again when it Noyen decided that Metcalf had knocked the ball out of Zac Hosking’s grasp.

Seconds later Nick Cotric the Raiders challenged again but it was confirmed that Cotric had knocked the ball on though the ball went backwards after Marcelo Montoya dislodged the ball from his grip.

DWZ HIT

In the first half Raiders winger Albert Hopoate was on the end of a thumping tackle by Watene-Zelezniak that had shades of from Sea Eagles wing-enforcer Jorge Taufua.

With seconds to go before halftime, Ethan Strange threw a flat ball that Watene-Zelezniak anticipated and turned into a hospital pass for Hopoate, buckling the centre and leaving him in the hands of trainers and gasping for breath.

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Originally published as Controversial bunker calls ruin Canberra Raiders’ perfect record

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/controversial-bunker-calls-ruin-canberra-raiders-perfect-record/news-story/d018587ec029784e4da6ce2ce59076e3