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.
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.
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.
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.
TP.777
Roar Rookie
Seriously it's meant too be a players game not a ref's game... what a disgrace the nrl has become protecting these biast game destroyers it's a disgrace... look at cam Munster making that tackle last week... I remember last round last yr Melbourne made the same tackle on Lawrie fro saints and got a long term on side line... I watched atleast 3 or 4 crasher tackles from Melbourne against penny and never even bothered the children I the crowd...no one can see Melbourne's BS as they have been blessed from ref's for there last 10 yr era. They are the one horned purple people eater! They make me sick as much as th nrl for lenancy n biatism. Pathetic vlandys n crew wake up and see what league is really about giving every team a fair ho in the comp!!
watcher
Guest
My question is the Bunker is supposed to help the onfield Refs and to eliminate mistakes, is that happening? I say no, they are now looking at every try and critiquing everything leading up to the award or referral, so they are a rod for the Ref's backs rather than an assistant, not even mentioning the time taken. I am a Warriors fan but fully understand the frustration of Ricky and the Raiders with the forward pass ruling, but it was just one ruling. Does anyone, based on past experience trust the Bunker to rule on forward passes, a good proportion of passes from DH seem to be forward. My contention is it will become even more contentious with decisions. As for dangerous tackles, do they really need to be named and judged on by their given definition, or just use common sense and rule if it was dangerous to a player it is penalised and go from there with further sanctions. The 18th man will be misused as a free interchange, we all know that, they are saying it will only kick in if three players have three HIA's in a game. Canberra would not have been eligible as Tapine had an ankle injury. The only way I think it could work fairly is independent Doctors doing assessments at the ground. Mistakes are part of the game, I can cop Refs making mistakes, less so the Bunker.
The Barry
Roar Guru
And Melbourne still had their chance to win the game but weren’t quite good enough...
The Barry
Roar Guru
I thought the ball brushed Reimis Smiths hands first and went forward into Crichton and should have been a Storm knock on... but I seem to be in the minority If the bunker ruled knock on by Crichton but then the ball touches Smith, is Kenny still offside? What’s the suggestion for improving the bunker? More people? More replays? At the end of the day, regardless of all the technology, there is a human pushing the buttons. They will see this differently and they will sometimes make mistakes Adding layer and layer of intervention over the top doesn’t protect us from people making mistakes The constant stopping of the game to pour over replays is the biggest bugbear in the game for mine Whatever happened to copping a bad decision on the chin and getting on with the game? The Storm v Panthers incident wasn’t a howler for mine. Two players were competing for the ball, they arrived simultaneously, the ball appeared to contact both players hands. There’s a multitude of applicable rulings based on the order that we determine the events happened Just because the human in the bunker came up with a different one to the human in the lounge room, we get yet another “it’s all busted, let’s change everything”
The Barry
Roar Guru
I agree about Leinu’s tackle. It’s pretty weak belting someone’s unprotected ribs and kidneys like that but not sure it’s illegal
The Barry
Roar Guru
Not from my experience Volume and overconfidence doesn’t equal knowledge :stoked:
Emcie
Roar Guru
Yeah, they skipped over the one shot where you could see it pretty quickly
elvis
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. Would have liked to see it again to see what I missed.
Larry Large
Guest
Human error won’t ever go away and neither will the bunker errors.
Dan
Guest
They got it wrong in that calling a Panther’s knock on then results in an offside penalty. Incompetence needs to be acknowledged. It probably was touched first by Storm but that’s not the call they made. Leniu and Munster should both be penalised and cited. Potentially not worthy of suspension but at least carryover points. Those tactics need to be weeded out of the game.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
OK , the two issues are 1 Prowler Tackle, The law only refers to legs as far as I can see. Ribs, no worries. You can advocate a change in the law for this and on reflection i would support it, but its not in the rules now. 2 Shoulder charge. Firstly you will find a ' shoulder tackle' like this one ( admittedly not as 3rd man in) in most games. Hit with the shoulder and arms flop around late. If that tackle occurred in another circumstance you wouldn't mention it. I know that because you haven't and I have seen quite a few this year already. There is the law and there is the usual way its adjudicated. Usually that tackle is adjudicated OK. Its ot a howler by any means You confuse what you want to be with what is. Advocate for change by all means but the tackle was OK as the rules and interpretations stand.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Tackle on Eisenhuth was fair. Had he hit him in the back then by the rules that is a prowler - penalty and report. Munters tackle was just one of those things where bodies turn in different directions
Tim Gore
Expert
And if Leniu goes for ten it is certainly a different game.
Tim Gore
Expert
Disagree first point. Agree second point.
Tim Gore
Expert
The people operating it. No problem with the bunker
Tim Gore
Expert
How is a shoulder charge legal?
Tim Gore
Expert
It was totally a shoulder charge. Zero arms. All shoulder.
Tim Gore
Expert
Well, a shoulder charge is illegal and I’m pretty sure prowler tackles - which that was - were banned. I’m going with total illegal dog shot.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Yep, looking at it that way I can see the argument for shoulder charge.
Simoc
Guest
AJA Carrs try was scored after a refereeing error which there was plenty of time to see ( no knock on by Penrith) because of the stoppage in play. But I see everyone's chosen to let that one go. Blah blah. They should dump the bunker, show the replays on TV and let the on field referee decide. If players talk while the referee is deciding they go to the sin bin. It was strange that a blatant shoulder charge didn't earn an automatic red card as it would in Union.