Cranky old coaches Des Hasler and Ricky Stuart reportedly engaged in a post-match argument outside Canberra’s dressing room following the Titans’ controversial golden-point loss on Sunday night which the NRL has since admitted was the wrong result.
The Titans were dudded again in extra time and should have had a shot at penalty goal from in front to win against Canberra with NRL head of football Graham Annesley confirming on Monday that Raiders fullback Chevy Stewart was offside when he charged down Titans captain Kieran Foran’s attempt at field goal in the 87th minute.
Hasler also took aim at referee Kasey Badger’s performance and when he confronted Stuart outside the Raiders’ sheds after the game, his opposing coach replied with “F— you, we should have got another 15 six-agains” according to a NewsCorp report.
“I’m going to go hard in there,” he reportedly added in reference to his upcoming post-match media conference where he said Hasler was “on another planet” with his views on Badger’s performance.
Stuart then fired back in his presser and accused the Titans of “cheating” by wrestling his players for extended periods while they attempted to play the ball, suggesting they could have received “another 10 or 12” set restarts.
Hasler was adamant after the game that Stewart broke the rules with his chargedown which was soon followed by Jamal Fogarty’s match-winning field goal for the home side.
“I think it was probably a good metre offside,” fuming Titans coach Des Hasler said after his team’s 21-20 loss. “Let’s hear from the hard-running Graham Annesley, so hopefully he will have a better idea about it Monday.”
Annesley confirmed in a video presentation on Monday that Stewart was not back 10m when the ball cleared the ruck.
“He, in this instance, is offside,” Annesley said. “That was an error and should have been picked up by the touch judges.”
Annesley said that, in the first instance, the Titans should have received a set restart for the infringement, but the ball ricocheted away and they knocked-on and did not receive any advantage.
“If they had picked up the offside player, waved six-again and the play breaks down … then they will say there is no advantage and give the penalty,” he said.
Hasler also queried why the Bunker did not look at the incident
“The Bunker cannot review 10m compliance,” Annesley said. “It doesn’t happen in any other aspect of play.”
Fogarty ultimately slotted a 90th minute field goal to give his side victory in Canberra.
It was a case of deja vu for the Titans
Last year Annesley conceded the Titans should have been awarded a penalty in front of the posts in the closing minutes of Parramatta’s 25-24 win in round 20.
Eels forwards Ryan Matterson and Shaun Lane were both a metre offside when the ball cleared the ruck as Titans No.7 Tanah Boyd missed a 76th minute field goal attempt.
On Sunday night both coaches were in fine form. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said Hasler was “on another planet” after the Titans mentor also blasted the refereeing of Kasey Badger.
He said her performance was “pretty poor” after his team conceded five penalties to three, and gave away eight set restarts to the Raiders’ one.
“If he’s critical of the six-agains and the penalties, he’s on another planet,” Stuart said.
“He coached well … but the way they cheated when they were standing there with their hand on the ball … the way they cheated on the ground.
“I feel sorry for Kasey the way they were in her face all night.”
Annesley provided a list of independent statistics from the match on 10m compliance. They revealed the Titans were offside 28 times that they were not pinged for.
Hasler, who joked he’d be fined $25,000 for his rant, said “some” of the penalties were warranted.
“Some of them just leave us battling field position the whole time,” he said.
Annesley’s stats also showed that the Raiders were offside on 10 occasions that were not penalised, but overall they were onside 94 per cent of the time compared to the Titans’ 89.4 per cent.
with AAP
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
There would be no problem if there was no Golden Point. Golden Point means there could be around 10 minutes of field goal frenzy play.
RLFan
Roar Rookie
Not a NSW/Queensland thing at all - as a Bulldogs supporter - a team at the bottom of the ladder for a few years, I can assure that we mostly came off on the wrong end of the penalty count, and I am sure Tigers and Dragons supporters would say the same. Titans are not getting the favourable calls because they are a struggling club. Fact of life in the NRL.
NQR
Roar Rookie
Welcome to coaching a team outside NSW Mr Hasler.
NQR
Roar Rookie
They have twice penalised Cowboys in Golden point for off side. As yet the only decision the Cowboys have got in that situation was against the Tigers ( escort). It was so badly received by NSW that legal challenges were talked about. Many South of the border wanted the result changed. Both officials got demoted? Then again how dare an official make a call that gave the Cowboys an opportunity to win. LOL
Pedro
Roar Rookie
You’re right. An absolute crock from Annersely. Unless I am mistaken the bunker is happen to offer an opinion on offside every time a try is scored from a kick. Not sure how one sort of offside is different to another.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I've raised it. At the end of the game the coaches get to publically lampoon the officials with a rep of the NRL/Referees body. At this discussion the official gets a chance to answer the comments, then can go through all the errors the players and tactical errors the coaches made during the game (eg poor choice of interchange or timing) and ask the coach, in public, which had more impact on the end result, their players and decisions or the ref? Guarantee the coaches will shut up soon after their deficiencies are so public. Also, memo Annesley, pointing out the 24 times there could have been a penalty but wasn't isn't supporting your touchies, it is throwing them under the bus. Highlight the dropped balls, poor decisons etc.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
“The Bunker cannot review 10m compliance,” Annesley said. “It doesn’t happen in any other aspect of play.” WTAbsoluteHeck??? Just last round a try was denied because a guy was offside!!! The inconsistency is disgraceful.
Good Grief
Roar Rookie
Officially Annersley advises that there were 38 instances of offside play that were not called in this single game… and also reminds the entire competition that the video ref is not permitted to intervene. He says this with a straight face, oblivious to the behaviour he is encouraging. This is not a professional sport.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
When two cranky coaches meet what do you get? Very cranky comments, resulting in potential money for the NRL , with administrators rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of fines.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Can't blame the loss on one decision. Titans don't have the cattle to expect to win games.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
He was given another chance with a minute to go, right in front 25 out, zero defender pressure and wasn't good enough, nor were they then good enough on a short blind with defence there to stop young Strange from running it down the other end with it all on the line to win it. 'They revealed the Titans were offside 28 times (Raiders 10) that they were not pinged for.' Coach needs to be tougher than that and tend to what he has control over.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yep. No way I’d cop a boss like Annersley.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Ah , here is the rub . It would have been 6 again BUT Canberra came up with the ball , so it's six again , play breaks down, no advantage , Titans penalty. It cost them the game.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I've never seen stats before for the amount of times a team is not pinged for being off side. I wonder if they've got stats for offside penalties given when the team was onside? It happens and it's horrible.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
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Pedro
Roar Rookie
I thought the Titans got the rough end of the pineapple throughout the game (six agains were apparently 10-1!) but Annersley’s Monday public bagging of officials is just so unnecessary. Keep it behind closed doors. I hate the focus on single decisions towards the end of the game and morale must be awful among the refs and touchies. There must be a better way to deal with these issues.
dogs
Roar Rookie
I think the whole Monday public review of refs is a bit silly, bordering on mean. It's not as though we get access to the team video reviews (which would actually be interesting - at least the first few times before the press turn it into a weekly witch burning). Guess it's a cheap way for the NRL to generate another day of "entertainment content", it's probably in their broadcast deal that they do it, like press conferences.
Duvall
Roar Rookie
Another ref/touch judge blunder - how the touch judges missed it I have no idea. Sorry for the Titans - they fought so hard and deserved much, much better.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Well, Canberra got pinged last year which ended their season.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Fact is when scores are tied, either in GP or the dying seconds of normal time, every single team will be offside when the opposition takes a field goal shot. It is standard practice and won’t stop until referees show some intestinal fortitude.