‘The Bunker, that’s crazy’: Des Hasler goes ‘nuclear’ as no try divides NRL

The NRL world has been split after the Gold Coast Titans were denied a try and a chance to take the lead late in their loss to the Knights.

Des Hasler went nuclear. Photo: Fox Sports

The Newcastle Knights have claimed a fourth straight win, downing the Gold Coast Titans 28-24, but it’s come with yet another Bunker controversy late in the game.

The Titans took a 24-10 lead into halftime after they made the most of both teams being reduced to 12 men in the 30th minute.

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The Knights had raced out of the blocks with two David Armstrong tries in the opening eight minutes before the Titans piled on five straight tries to finish the first half, including two when Aaron Schoupp and Jackson Hastings were sin binned for throwing some jersey punches at each other.

Hastings had already been warned while Schoupp was sent after reacting.

But after the Gold Coast took a comfortable lead into the break, the Knights fought back and have now claimed four wins on the trot with injured captain and superstar Kalyn Ponga sitting on the bench.

The Knights scored three unanswered tries to take the lead in the 67th minute when Jacob Saifiti was awarded a penalty try after Titans skipper Moeaki Fotuaika tackled the Knights prop without the ball while he was leading the race for a grubber.

Having started 40m out on the fifth tackle, the Titans made the most of the Knights trying to watch a well-weighted kick into touch as Jojo Fifita made a play at the ball, knocking it back in with Brian Kelly awarded the try by on-field referee Gerard Sutton.

“They’ve tied the game — a miracle play,” Dan Ginnane screamed.

The Bunker ruled it was a bobble by Brian Kelly. Photo: Fox Sports

The Knights looked dejected and the Titans had already set up for the kick off while Schoupp lined up the kick which could have given the Gold Coast the lead.

But then the Bunker intervened.

Bunker official Wyatt Raymond ruled Kelly had bobbled the ball.

Although it seemed like Knights fullback David Armstrong was raking at the ball, Raymond called: “Just a tackling action from the Knights, the ball comes away from Brian Kelly’s hand and is knocked on in the field of play.”

Ginnane declared: “We cannot have a game without a Bunker controversy. That angle looks like he grounded it.”

“Gee I’m not sure about that,” Michael Ennis agreed. “They can’t believe it, neither can I. Brian Kelly, it looked for all money like he got the ball down. At full speed, Kelly gets the ball out — I’m completely fine with that.”

Ginnane said the call had “robbed” the game of “one of the tries of the year”, saying: “We’re looking for microscopic things.”

But post-match, Cooper Cronk said he thought the Bunker “got it right”.

“Brian Kelly bobbles that, that’s a no try for me,” he said.

Brian Kelly couldn't believe it. Photo: Fox Sports

Des Hasler wasn't happy. Photo: Fox Sports

The commentators agreed on one thing though — Des Hasler was primed to go nuclear.

And he was ready to fire off as he went into the press conference.

“Try, every day of the week,” Hasler said.

“The Bunker, that’s crazy. Hand didn’t come away from the ball, and if it did then it’s a penalty — one-on-one strip isn’t it? They don’t know, they don’t know.”

Hasler was also asked about the calls and hit out at offsides, arguing the Knights “jumped the line all the time, makes it very difficult”.

Hasler said he was proud of the team after some early injuries, adding it was “very frustrating for the players”.

“With the competition so close and having gone through what they went through to get in the position to win the game, and it’s just …”

Hasler was asked if he’d get clarity on the call and the response will be: “It’ll be the same ‘we got it wrong, we’re sorry, let’s move on, they’re only human’ — which they are. We all make mistakes.”

He added he’d already rung the NRL head of football Graham Annesley but had “no comment” on what they spoke about.

“I just feel really sorry for the fans, the players, the fans are just getting the rough end,” Hasler said.

“Maybe Graham needs to consider that.”

Knights coach Adam O’Brien had a much different take, saying “the technology’s there, we used it and it was the right call”.

Des Hasler has blown up deluxe. Photo: Fox Sports

Social media was divided over the situation.

ABC News’ Matt Bevan tweeted: “So, my hot take is the ref should’ve sent it to the bunker straight away. Confidently calling a grounding from under a pile of players is always going to risk it being overturned.”

“#Bunker used a #microscope invented in 2050 to review Kelly’s #try,” one fan posted on X.

Another took a different tact: “Titans robbed by 2 correct decisions. Outrageous show of correctness by the officials.”

Another fan suggested: “Please eff off bunker.”

Another added: “Am I the only one that sees the ball clearly drop before he grounds it?”

Motley Fool CIO Scott Phillips commented: “Yes, I’m a cave-dwelling Luddite etc. But does anyone really reckon the Bunker improves the game?”

While the Knights are without Ponga, his understudy Armstrong continues to make the most of his opportunity.

The fullback scored a hat-trick and ran 20 times for 268m including a line break and 13 tackle breaks in another stunning performance.

But NSW’s State of Origin curse has once again hit as Bradman Best was ruled out at halftime with a hamstring injury.

“Best has suffered a hamstring injury and will not be back today and that is another headache for Blues coach Michael Maguire,” James Hooper said.