By Dan Walsh and Adam Pengilly
The NRL will conduct an end-of-season review of the captain’s challenge rule that cost Wests Tigers two competition points against North Queensland as the club abandoned its threat to pursue legal action over the matter.
Tigers officials Lee Hagipantelis and Justin Pascoe met with their NRL counterparts last week and were told a last-second escort penalty was incorrectly awarded by the bunker, but the Cowboys’ 27-26 round 19 win will stand after
The Tigers considered the procedural legality of North Queensland’s captain’s challenge that led to the penalty and whether it could be contested in court given no penalty was awarded on-field and the full-time siren sounded.
The NRL has defended the Cowboys challenge on the basis they were technically calling for the review of the actual stoppage, and that the referee had not blown his whistle to indicate actual full-time.
In a statement saying no further consideration would be given to the match, the NRL said the Tigers will be consulted in an end-of-season review of the controversial ruling.
“The NRL is comfortable with the interpretation that was applied but has acknowledged, in light of the concerns raised by the Wests Tigers, that the rule needs to be reviewed at the end of the season to provide more clarity so as to ensure that there is no future misunderstanding as to the intent and application of the rule,” the NRL said.
Wests Tigers’ Jackson Hastings comes to terms with the after-the-siren loss to the Cowwboys.Credit: Getty
The Tigers had engaged Yaseen Shariff, SC, one of Australia’s leading silks and a member of Jack de Belin’s legal team when he challenged the NRL’s no-fault stand-down rule, before “reluctantly” giving up its legal action.
“Wests Tigers has been overwhelmed and humbled by the support the club has received from its members and fans,” the Tigers said in a statement.
“We have made our point to the NRL and made it forcibly. We did so on behalf of our members and fans and gave voice to their legitimate concerns that the outcome of the match was not just nor fair.
“We extracted a concession from the NRL that the obstruction penalty which was given was erroneous and therefore, by implication, Wests Tigers should have won that match.
St George Illawarra’s Tariq Sims is sent to the sin bin after his high shot on Connor Tracey.Credit: Getty
“We know it, everyone knows it. Unfortunately, the history books will not record it that way.”
Meanwhile, NRL head of football Graham Annesley said St George Illawarra’s Tariq Sims should have been sent off for a high shot on Cronulla’s Connor Tracey which almost certainly means he’s played his last game for the Dragons.
State of Origin forward Sims was only sin-binned for the tackle which left Tracey heavily concussed. The Sharks winger was stretchered from the field minutes later.
Sims accepted a four-match ban and won’t play again this season unless the Dragons miraculously make the finals.
“My personal view is he should have been a sent off,” Annesley said.
“You might also recall not that long ago, a few seasons ago, the rules didn’t allow players to be sent to the sin bin at all for foul play. Any act of foul play had to be sent from the field or either penalised and places on report. We have seen the rules changed now. I’ve spoken on many occasions about the difference in the process.
“If you’re asking my opinion, my opinion is he should have been sent from the field.”
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