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Opinion
Just how does the NRL Bunker keep getting it so wrong?
Last night’s rematch of the 2020 grand finalists was superb. It was gripping to the very end and the Twitter traffic was a frenzy of positivity.
However, within the match there were three moments of controversy that are now – rightly – removing some of the sheen. And they all centre around the Bunker getting it wrong. Again.
Let me make clear that I am no luddite. I want technology used to get decisions right.
I don’t care about the time taken to get decisions right. My favourite thing in the world is watching rugby league and I have little issue with the games going on longer – especially if it means the right calls are made.
I understand that the NRL is really a commodity that is run as an entertainment product. The broadcasters need the game to fit into neat timeslots and stoppages can really mess with that.
However, if you are a fan who truly loves the game and your team, surely you want the right decisions made as a priority? I often wonder about whether those who want a faster game actually like rugby league.
Just last weekend, AJ Mithen pointed out the inconsistent positions the Bunker takes on issues and the odd prioritisation that includes.
Last night’s game highlighted two incidents that the Bunker should have dealt with effectively given the fallout of the Felise Kafusi elbow on Ryan Matterson.
Firstly, in the first half, Storm interchange player Tom Eisenhuth had had his momentum well and truly halted by two Panthers defenders, when Spencer Leniu decided to become the third man in. Eisenhuth was collected in the rib cage from behind, with the replays clearly showing that not only was it a prowler tackle, Leniu used no arms at all and collected the prone Storm forward purely with his shoulder.
Tom Eisenhuth failed to finish the game due to a suspected broken rib suffered in this tackle. Extremely painful injury, if scans confirm a fracture usually requires 3-4 weeks recovery for adequate bone healing and to get pain levels to a manageable level pic.twitter.com/tpOVoibx5I
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 25, 2021
Eisenhuth had his ribs broken in this action.
Referee Grant Atkins had a clear view of the incident and saw nothing in it. Then, while play was halted as a result of Eisenhuth’s injury, Ash Klein in the Bunker had considerable time to review the incident and decided no further action needed to be taken.
So Tom Eisenhuth has a broken rib. If the Storm pulled that 3rd man in play we’d be hearing about it all week. The tackle was done. He was wrapped up and wasn’t moving. Massive dog shot #NRLPanthersStorm
— Eden Richards (@Eden_Richards) March 25, 2021
What on Earth?
Leniu’s effort was a blatant shoulder charge that, at best, had reckless indifference to Eisenhuth’s safety. Not only should it have been a penalty, it should have seen Leniu sin binned and now facing suspension. None of that has occurred.
If we truly believe the NRL cares about protecting the players from foul play, that incident should have been dealt with properly and swiftly.
Ironically, the second incident involved the Storm perpetrating a bad tackle on Leniu just before half time. While two of his teammates were attempting to fold Lenie like a camping chair, Cam Munster went at his legs, with the result being that the Panther forward’s knee was twisted horribly. Given that, just last week, Storm prop Christian Welch drew the ire of many online over his effort on the legs of Eels forward Isaiah Papali’i, to have an almost carbon copy incident happen the very next week would lead some to conclude it’s strategy rather than accident.
At what point do the NRL examine how these three-man tackles are carried out? Not just in regard to the very real potential for injury, but from the perspective that these tactics, while being effective, are just awful and not in the spirit of the game.
Leniu’s progess was totally halted and all this was about was getting the player to the ground to slow up the play the ball. Once more, the bunker examined the issue and had zero problem with it.
Cameron Munster was NOT charged for this tackle… #9WWOS #NRL pic.twitter.com/U1wiRXgSa2
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) March 25, 2021
Neither of these incidents have led to a charge being laid by the match review committee. Stephen Crichton’s innocuous high tackle, however, has.
Lastly, after Kurt Capewell’s fantastic try, the Storm performed their brilliant short kick off and got the ball back when there was a knock on. However, the replays showed Stephen Crichton had knocked the ball forward only for it to be picked up – and subsequently knocked on – by Mitch Kenny.
It was clearly a penalty for the Storm and they should have had the option to take a shot for goal to tie the game up. Somehow, Klein in the bunker saw it otherwise.
While Justin Olam should have passed to an unmarked Josh Addo-Carr to secure the win for the Storm, you can bet that the Storm would have taken the two if the penalty was correctly awarded – and how good would extra time have been?
While there are sure to be arguments in regard to how the NRL should deal with the Munster-Lenie incident, the other two were cut and dried failures.
Just maybe it is time to get people in the Bunker who can actually get it right. Because while there is no doubt the NRL’s primary function is to serve as an entertainment product, those of us who love our clubs want to stop dealing with these constant issues of injustice.
It leaves us feeling ripped off.