Cronulla Sharks coach Shane Flanagan calls for a coach's challenge system

CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan has backed calls for an NFL-style "coach's challenge" after refereeing blunders cost the Sharks a vital round 21 win.

Flanagan

CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan has backed calls to introduce an NFL-style "coach's challenge" after two crucial refereeing blunders cost the Sharks a vital win over Penrith.

Flanagan last night said he had met with referees' bosses Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper late yesterday to discuss last Saturday night's controversial clash.

He said Harrigan and Raper admitted the Sharks had been robbed.

"I don't know how I can accept it. I find it really hard to accept," a shattered Flanagan said.

Cronulla scored what should have been a match-winning try with two minutes remaining in regular time and Penrith's Tim Grant should have been penalised for being in front of the kicker at the kick-off.

That would have meant the game did not go to golden point.

"The dispute (all weekend) was if the ball had gone 10 metres from the kick-off but that is not even relevant if the penalty came for the player being offside," Flanagan said.

"He was a metre offside from the kick-off. It should have been a penalty to us with a minute counting down. It cost us two competition points."

Flanagan said another crucial mistake then cost the Sharks in extra-time.

Penrith's Lachlan Coote was offside when he charged down a Chad Townsend kick but again it wasn't penalised.

Soon after Luke Walsh slotted Penrith's winning field goal.

"To come back and get in front and then have it taken away by a refereeing error is just heartbreaking," Flanagan added.

"At this stage of the year and where we are at competition points are crucial at any stage but we needed that win on the weekend, especially with a depleted squad.

"For it to come back to losing a game from an incorrect ruling is shattering."

Flanagan said the admission of guilt came as little consolation for the Sharks who are now fighting to stay alive in the countdown to the finals.

"It is just really hard to take. I have never seen such a depressed dressing room," Flanagan said.

"This is the second time it has happened to us.

"We lost round one (against the Wests Tigers) from a referee's decision in golden point where they penalised us from a charge-down where it should have been a penalty to us.

"I lay in bed at night thinking about this.

"It applies pressure to our next four or five weeks. We should be on at least 27 and maybe 29 competition points."

Victory last Saturday night would have catapulted Cronulla into the NRL top four but instead they are now seventh on the ladder and in danger of missing the play-offs.

Asked if he would support a move to introduce a coach's challenge, similar to what is used in the NFL, Flanagan said: "I think definitely, we have got to look at it.

"I know of two occasions this year where we would have used our coach's challenge and we'd be on four more competition points. It has definitely got merit."