NRL’s bizarre take on Mitch Moses forward pass, verdict on controversial play delayed

NRL head of football Graham Annesley has delivered a controversial take on the pass that may have cost the Cowboys a premiership.

Mitchell Moses. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

NRL head of football Graham Annesley has held off giving his verdict on the controversial Mitchell Moses ‘forward pass’ that led to Parramatta’s crucial opening try in the nail-biting 24-20 win over the Cowboys.

Meanwhile, Annesley has also held fire on what Phil Gould blasted as a “farcical” obstruction call that went against Penrith on Saturday night.

Annesley said on Sunday that he was reluctant to give his opinion on either decision until he had properly reviewed the video of both incidents.

But it’s his response to the halfback’s pass leading up to the Eels’ opening try on Friday night that is sure to raises plenty of eyebrows, given it appeared crystal-clear at first glance it travelled forward out of Moses’ hands.

On Channel 9 Paul Vautin said he thought it went 6m forward, while Cameron Smith was a bit more realistic but still convinced it was forward by a “metre, metre and a half”.

Annesley responded on Sunday: “I think there has been some exaggeration about that in terms of how far people are claiming it went forward, if it went forward.

“I note Todd Payten’s comments after the game where he said he thought it was OK. So again, I was at that game as well so I need to have a look at the video.”

Mitchell Moses steered his team into a grand final. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

It’s been an ongoing debate for years that the NRL still won’t allow the bunker to rule on forward passes despite the huge advancements in modern technology.

But Annesley said at this stage there was still no plans to introduce forward pass technology next year.

“We are still discussing it with the companies,” Annesley added.

“There is a number of companies who have possible solutions but we are not near taking anything (to the Commission).”

The other big bunker call that caused plenty of confusion related to the obstruction call in the Panthers’ crushing 32-12 comeback win over the Rabbitohs.

The fact it didn’t ultimately influence the final result probably saved the NRL from a bigger blow up about this.

Yet most watching on Saturday night would have agreed with Gould and others that there was just no way the South Sydney defender supposedly obstructed could have stopped this try.

Gould wasn’t the only great who thought it was a bludger of a call, with Fox League’s Steve Roach adding “there has got to be common sense”.

It occurred midway through the first half when the Panthers were trailing 12-0 and struggling to fight their way back in the game when Nathan Cleary launched one of his trademark torpedoes that Taane Milne dropped cold.

From there Viliame Kikau picked the ball up and offloaded to Jarome Luai who ran behind James Fisher-Harris and found a flying Charlie Staines who slid over out wide.

But the on-field “try” call was overturned because the Bunker claimed Rabbitohs winger Richie Kennar was impeded when Luai ran behind Fisher-Harris.

Gould tweeted: “FYI – Even under the present rules, for there to be an obstruction, the defending player has to be in a position to make or attempt to make a defensive play (tackle). If he is in no such position, he’s not obstructed from doing anything. That was a farcical decision last night.”

Jarome Luai was pinged for obstruction on this play and Phil Gould wasn't happy about it. Picture: Fox League

On Fox League’s commentary Roach said there was “no way” Kennar could have made the tackle: “There has got to be common sense here. It will be no try but it should be a try. There is no way he was going to tackle him there. No way.”

Annesley told The Daily Telegraph: “I was at the game so I haven’t reviewed it on video yet.

“I will obviously do that (on Monday).

“In the scheme of things it didn’t affect the outcome, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t take all of those decisions seriously. We will review it.”

Asked if he had an opinion on what he saw at the ground, he added: “It is very hard when you are at the venue.

“You only see it once or twice on the big screen.

“I want to have a closer look at it and do the right thing by both the officials and the public by looking at it properly rather than giving an off the cuff comment on it.

“I will look at that plus a couple of other incidents across the course of the weekend and then give a considered response.”

Originally published as NRL’s bizarre take on Mitch Moses forward pass, verdict on controversial play delayed