Two horrific calls cost Canberra in 28-24 loss to Cronulla that all but ends their season
THE NRL’s under fire match officials better batten down the hatches after two absolute howlers all but put the red pen through Canberra’s 2018 finals hopes in their 28-24 loss to Cronulla.
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THE NRL was forced to make the embarrassing admission that a touch judge mistake could ultimately end Canberra’s hopes of playing finals football in 2018.
In the same week Ricky Stuart was inducted into the NRL’s Hall of Fame, a shattered but measured Stuart declared in the wake of Canberra’s controversial 28-24 loss to Cronulla: “This is why people are turning off rugby league”.
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Stuart had every right to be filthy after two crucial calls went against his team in a mind-boggling second half after they staged a remarkable fightback after trailing 22-6 at the break.
In one of the most bizarre blunders seen in many years, Canberra players stopped defending when touch judge Rick MacFarlane put his flag in the air in the 58th minute after what appeared to be a knock on from Jesse Ramien when the scores were at 22-18.
Even Gerard Sutton, the top referee in the game, put his whistle in his mouth as though he was about to stop play.
Instead, the ref allowed Sione Katoa to race over and plant the ball over the tryline before it was sent up to the video ref as a “no try”.
Incredibly, the bunker then over-ruled the onfield decision, extending Cronulla’s lead to 28-18.
The Raiders then had another rotten call go against them when a pass from Joey Leilua to Michael Oldfield was called forward.
Replays clearly showed the ball did not travel forward.
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An NRL spokesman conceded the touch judge’s flag should not have gone up but when it did the onfield ref should have stopped play.
That admission will come as cold comfort to the Raiders and their fans with their season now as good as over.
Stuart was unaware of the NRL’s view when he spoke at the post match media conference.
Asked if his team was robbed, Stuart said: “I just criticised my players in there for not playing to the whistle. And then they tell me the flag went up and the referee called knock on.
“So what are they meant to do?”
Canberra captain Josh Hodgson added: “I was on the inside and you saw the touchies’s flag, I think he put it up and then he half put it down.
“But as soon as you see a flag you stop your feet.
“And if you watch the video back the ref keeps doing these ones (putting the whistle to his mouth as if he was about to blow the penalty).
“So we were all just waiting for the whistle and we stopped.
“He called ‘no try’.”
Asked about the Leilua forward pass, Stuart said: “I only saw the replay once and to me it went well behind a lot of passes that have been let go this year.”
Stuart then let fly at the NRL, declaring the farcical crackdown that has marred this season was not the fault of the match officials but he said it was turning fans away.
“All this rot started round one this year,” Stuart said.
“Now I don’t know who came out and told referees that they had to come in and pick on everything … but we have ruined the first 14 rounds of this competition.
“We have lost fans.
“I know so many people that have said that they have turned off the game of rugby league because of it.
“But then halfway through the year Todd (Greenberg) comes out and says I have told the referees to stop nit picking.
“We are the only sport in the world that changes interpretations midway through the year.”
He added the bunker was only confusing and making it harder for the refs.
“This is why people are turning off rugby league and it is sad because I don’t blame the referees,” he said.
While the victory keeps the Sharks top four hopes well and truly alive as they move to 26 competition points, the Raiders are stuck on 18 points and could only afford to lose one more game in their remaining six games to make 28, the expected top eight cut off.
They did incredibly well to fight their way back into the game and despite missing five of their best players including skipper Jarrod Croker, halfback Aidan Sezer, fullback Jack Wighton and well as forwards Shannon Boyd and Joey Tapine.
The Raiders have a horror run to the finals, with remaining games against Melbourne, Penrith, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney and the Warriors.
Brisbane’s 50-18 win over Penrith moves the Broncos to 24 competition points, now three wins clear of the ninth placed Raiders.
CRONULLA 28 (A Fifita W Graham V Holmes S Katoa R Leutele tries C Townsend 4 goals) bt CANBERRA 24 (J Leilua 2 B Abbey J Rapana tries S Williams 4 goals) at Southern Cross Group Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Gavin Reynolds. Crowd: 10,016