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The NRL will have some serious explaining to do after a video refereeing clanger overshadowed the Sydney Roosters’ 38-12 semi-final win over Canterbury on Friday night.
With his side holding onto a slender 8-4 lead midway through the second half, Roosters prop Kane Evans was met by four Bulldogs defenders in what looked like a routine carry in the danger zone.
However, despite appearing to have been stopped in momentum, lead referee Matt Cecchin allowed Evans to edge closer to the tryline, before eventually finishing over the line.
Standing less than five metres away in the in-goal, Cecchin stopped time and called on video referees Bernard Sutton and Ben Galea to review the grounding.
Crucially, Cecchin also ruled a try.
Initial replays showed Evans planting before the tryline, only for the ball to be lifted again and then re-planted on the tryline.
Sutton and Galea looked at a number of replays before stunningly pressing the green button.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler was diplomatic when asked about the controversial decision.
“At the end of the day, it probably wasn’t a try and the referee called it a try and the video referee probably didn’t have enough evidence to overrule,” he said.
“Was it a turning point? Maybe. It’s all speculation now.”
Evans said he believed he had scored, but was worried when looking at the replays.
“Yeah I scored it. When I got up it was over the line,” he said.
“I thought it looked like no try but when he gave it… happy days.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the call could’ve gone either way, but agreed that it was a turning point in the match.
“I was happy that he awarded it a try first of all, because I think it could’ve been either way,” he said.
“If he awarded it a try, it’s a try. If he awarded it a no try, it would’ve been a no try, we couldn’t see. I think that’s our system. So that was a big moment.”
At the time, Sutton said on the Channel Nine broadcast: “There was insufficient evidence to overturn the decision.”
After the Evans try, the Roosters crossed another four times in the final half an hour to book at preliminary final against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium next week.
NRL SEMI-FINAL 1:
RESULT: Roosters 38 bt Bulldogs 12 at Allianz Stadium
KEY MOMENT: Kane Evans’ controversial 52nd minute try. Referee Matt Cecchin ruled try before sending it upstairs to the video referee who upheld the decision. The try extended the Roosters 8-4 by six and they were never headed.
KEY QUOTE: “You need to have conviction as a ref.” Roosters coach TRENT ROBINSON on the adjudication system that requires a referee to make an onfield decision.
JUDICIARY WATCH: None
KEY INJURIES: None
WHAT’S NEXT: The Roosters advance to a preliminary final against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium next Friday. The Bulldogs are finished for the year.
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