Bunker controversy mars Magic Round opener

Fans and former players have gone nuclear over a bunker howler that marred the opening match of Magic round – but the NRL claims the right call was made. Watch and have your say.

The NRL has given its initial backing to the bunker’s controversial decision to award a penalty to Cronulla after Bailey Simonsson was ruled to have taken out Ronaldo Mulitalo while contesting a bomb on Friday night.

Commentators and former players were in uproar after referee Peter Gough – on the advice of the bunker – penalised Simonsson for taking out Mulitalo while he was in the air.

Eels captain Mitchell Moses argued the decision with Gough but it was to no avail. It is understood that the NRL’s initial view of the incident was that the bunker had made the right call, although the decision will be assessed in greater detail on Monday.

This is a penalty against Bailey 😂 jeeeezus @NRL#NRLSharksEelspic.twitter.com/DyI7dElHbC

— Hynesight (@Hynesight7) May 2, 2025

That’s unlikely to sit well with some of the former players who railed against the decision, among them former NSW and Australian prop Aaron Woods.

“Ronaldo has fallen on top of him,” Woods said on Triple M NRL.

“Can we get rid of the bunker please. This is where they have no idea. This is what is frustrating for fans sitting at home and in the crowd.

“These blokes in the bunker have no idea what they are talking about. This is so frustrating.”

Woods’ view was supported by the Fox Sports commentary team on the night.

“Oh my God come on now,” former Sharks and Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson said.“They can’t do this. This happens so fast. Stop watching it in slow-mo.

“This is a contest for the ball,” added Andrew Voss.“Our game is not there is it?

“We are not going penalty try are we?”

They weren’t, with the Bunker ruling out the possibility of a penalty try given Mulitalo had “too much to do to get the ball to the ground”.

But that explanation left Johnson even more confused.

“My question is if it is a penalty in the air, how can you not consider a penalty try?” he said.

Referee Peter Gough said the Bunker ruled Simonsson “grabbed the arm” and deemed it a “tackle in the air”, leaving Moses fuming.

“What do you want him to do but he has got his back to him?” the Eels halfback asked.

“I understand you don’t agree, but that’s the decision and I’m just letting you know,” Gough replied.

“But where do you want him to go?” Moses continued.

“What do you want him to do?”

“I can’t answer that question right now,” Gough said.

“You can’t answer it, so it should not be a penalty,” Moses concluded.

FANS AND FORMER PLAYERS BLOW UP, SPOT SHARKS BLUNDER BUNKER MISSED

I’m actually lost for words. How can every single person watching that moment view it as a knock on which was the right call, but the bloke that gets paid to make the right decisions in the bunker think it was a penalty!?

— Josh Mansour (@Josh_Mansour) May 2, 2025

We have officially lost the plot #NRL

— Jamie Soward (@sowwowofficial6) May 2, 2025

Watching this back live, it just gets worse, absolutely nothing wrong with Baileys attempted jump, he was facing the opposite side of Mulitalo when he turned, look at the replay too, same thing, where is he meant to go, he can’t just throw his arms away, disgusting call! pic.twitter.com/EsTfldTj7X

— Sam Curro (@samcurr95262813) May 2, 2025

If he is tackled in the air, why isn’t it a penalty try?
If the tackle was enough to pull him up short, surely it’s a try if he doesn’t do it?
The Bunker just making it up as it goes.
It’s either play on or penalty try.
Bunker now too much time on its hands#NRL#NRLMagicRound

— T Mac 🐸 #Toots307 (@NoShins81) May 2, 2025

Hands down the worst decision in the history of NRL. Whoever is in the bunker should be sacked immediately. #NRLSharksEels

— Andrew Melville (@OneTheRed) May 2, 2025

Drop ball???????? #NRLSharksEelspic.twitter.com/BrRJ4sOT9x

— brozing (@the_brozing) May 2, 2025

He deadset lost the ball how on earth was this missed by the @NRL#nrlsharkseelspic.twitter.com/uh5GMa5lpU

— sam (@onyohead38) May 2, 2025

MATCH REPORT: SHARKS HOLD OFF EELS

Cronulla half Nicho Hynes put the magic in Magic Round on Friday night as he produced a playmaking masterclass in the Sharks’ 28-18 win over Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium.

Hynes, having failed to get the Sharks over the line in golden point a week ago against the Wests Tigers, atoned for his missed field goal attempts in that game by orchestrating the bounce-back win over the Eels in regulation time.

Hynes had a hand in three of the Sharks tries as they surged to a big lead, only to open the door for a Parramatta comeback when Sharks forward Jesse Colquhoun was sin-binned in the second half.

Hynes then stepped up with seven minutes remaining as he combined with Will Kennedy to send Sam Stonestreet over in the corner.

The Sharks were unlucky to lose against the Tigers, the NRL conceding afterwards that they should have been awarded a penalty that would have given them the chance to pick up the two points.

They weren’t going to make the same mistake again as they got back in the winner’s circle in the opening game of Magic Round.

The Sharks have claimed victory over Parramatta in the opening game of Magic Round. Picture: Getty Images

“He’s in a really good place and regardless of what’s said on the outside, he’s doing so many good things for our team,” Sharks captain Cam McInnes said.

“He was outstanding tonight. It’s hard for you guys to watch the impact he has at times, but even when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands, he’s controlling everything.

“So really happy for him.”

HYNES THE HERO

Hynes was only inches from being the hero a week ago. His long-range field goal attempt rattled the upright but stayed out as the Sharks suffered heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Tigers.

Hynes turned up at Suncorp Stadium in a mood to avenge that loss, playing with intent from the opening minute. He notably ran the ball early and was involved in everything good as the Sharks dominated the early exchanges.

It was no surprise that Hynes was at the centre of Cronulla’s opening try, drifting across field and putting KL Iro in a gaping hole.

It was one of two tries Hynes set up in the first half. After the Eels levelled the scores, Hynes hit Briton Nikora with a nice pass for Cronulla’s second try of the half.

He then picked up where he left off at the start of the second half as he had a hand in Stonestreet’s try to extend the Sharks lead.

He made it three try assists when he put McInnes in a hole and he crashed over, although there was a hint of an obstruction about the play.

After being denied a potential game-winning penalty in golden point last week, perhaps karma played a part as McInnes was given the green light.

Nicho Hynes was the hero for the Sharks, setting up three tries. Picture: NRL Imagery

“He has been at it all year,” Fitzgibbon said of Hynes.

“I feel like last week there was some criticism there from not icing the game. But he stepped up, he smashes one from 50 (metres) and he is one lick of paint away from having his moment in the sun.

“He doesn’t get it but he still stepped back up time after time after time when the game was on the line. That’s how I think about it.”

BACKDOWN ON THE CRACKDOWN

The NRL came under fire all week for the mass sin-bins for high contact a week ago. Their response was to wind back the influence of the bunker but this was the first test of the new rules.

There were no sin-bins for high shots but the officials were still a tad trigger-happy, most notably when Eels back rower Kitione Kautoga hit a Cronulla player with a jolting shot midway through the first half.

Most people inside the stadium thought it was a textbook tackle but referee Peter Gough awarded the Sharks a penalty. Replays showed the contact was with the shoulder and not the head.

The game did feature a sin bin mind you when Sharks forward Jessie Colquhoun was dismissed for a professional foul.

Ronaldo Mulitalo went close to scoring, but Bailey Simonsson was controversially penalised for this ‘tackle in the air’. Picture: NRL Imagery

That decision was spot on but the bunker wasn’t finished and there was still time for a moment of controversy in the second half when Ronaldo Mulitalo almost scored an acrobatic try as he flew above Bailey Simonsson and contorted his body in an attempt to plant the ball over the line.

Mulitalo dropped the ball with a try beckoning but the bunker ruled Simonsson had tackled the Sharks winger in the air. It was a ridiculous decision but thankfully, Parramatta were able to defend their line.

“One, I don’t have the runs on the board and two, I don’t have enough money to give you my honest opinion,” Eels coach Jason Ryles said.

Sharks v Eels. Picture: NRL Imagery

MOSES FOR ORIGIN

Mitchell Moses played his first game of the season a fortnight ago and produced a starring role in the Eels’ win over the Wests Tigers.

That performance immediately put him back in the frame for State of Origin, where he has been earmarked to play alongside Nathan Cleary in the halves.

Moses was in a spiky mood on Friday night. When Braydon Trindall and Moses bumped into each other off the ball in the first half, the pair eyeballed each other and exchanged a few choice words.

Moses has done enough in two games to get back into Origin contention. Picture: NRL Imagery

“I don’t know, he just hit me,” Moses said.

“He’s quality player. He’s been on fire for them at the moment. The season he’s having at the moment is unbelievable and he’s taking that side to a new level>

“It was just two halves competing.”

He then sliced through in the second half and looked certain to create a try, only to miss the mark when he had Josh Addo-Carr on his outside. He atoned not long after as he pulled Parramatta back into the game, taking a J’mayne Hopgood offload and sending Dylan Brown over.

Moses certainly didn’t hurt his Origin cause.

“Everyone sees the talent that he’s got, like, but what I love about him is that he turns up every day and he competes and he drives standards and he wants to get better every day,” Ryles said.

“That’s what I love about him.”

FOXX IS FLYING

Josh Addo-Carr made it seven tries in six games for the Eels with a double at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

The Foxx was one a regular in the State of Origin arena but he has drifted out of the conversation in recent years.

He may get himself back in the picture if he keeps this up. Eels officials have lavished praise on Addo-Carr for his contribution on and off the field since joining the club.

Josh Addo-Carr has also put his hand up for a State of Origin recall. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Blues have some concerns on the wings with both Zac Lomax and Brian To’o sidelined with injury, although the former could be back just in time to be available for Origin I.

Lomax is back running and is expected to return in round 11, which would give him one game to prove his fitness for the Blues.

Given the way he played last year, one game should be enough to convince NSW coach Laurie Daley to include him in his Blues squad.

Addo-Carr is a handy insurance policy.

Originally published as Bunker controversy mars Magic Round opener