The bunker will again come under scrutiny for allowing a penalty try to the Parramatta Eels which ultimately sealed Newcastle’s fate in their NRL elimination final.
With the score at 22-20 in the 77th minute, Clint Gutherson went for a grubber kick but the ball appeared to hit the ground first before he got his boot to the ball.
Will Penisini was then tackled without the ball and the bunker ruled that there was insufficient evidence firstly for the Gutherson dropped ball and that Penisini was indeed taken without the ball and therefore would have scored.
Steve
Guest
I agree. He may have dropped the ball, he may not have, that was inconclusive. However, trying to pick up a bouncing ball 5 metres out from the line is no guarantee that he is going to score. He could have fumbled it, dropped it over the line, missed it completely or he may have scored. Sure I feel a penalty was warranted for being tackled without the ball, maybe even a sin bin for professional foul, but with so many possibilities, I really think penalty try was the wrong call.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Why would the Knights get a penalty for a knock-on?
Paul Metelmann
Guest
Gatherson knocks the ball on and should have been a penalty to the Knights at that point in my opinion
Sharyn Adams
Guest
What I found was an admittedly dated set of rules, but according to the July 2020 rules, a drop kick is described as “a kick whereby the ball is dropped from the hands (or hand) and is kicked immediately it rebounds from the ground.” No mention of trying to slot it between the crossbar. Just gotta be intentionally released and hit on the rebound. Which is what Gutho did. Penalty try stands.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I've got no issue with knowing the rule is "in all probability", but I has concerns over the drop kick... now they have come out and said that anyone can drop kick from anywhere and it isn't just for going for drop goals!! That is ridiculous.
Adam
Roar Guru
Yep, it was commentators that started with the line that it had to be a certainty, when in reality its a balance of probabilities
Chris
Guest
But did Gutho knock-on and try to cover it up? Did he retain control to argue it was a drop-kick? No he dropped it cold - knock on!
Ian_
Roar Rookie
Nope. Never was. That was just a copout by referees who wanted to avoid the controversy of awarding a PT.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
No the rule doesn't mention anything about certainty, just that the referee has the opinion a try would have been scored except for the illegal play.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Well Womblat the rule changed.Certainty is the old rule ,Mate
Harry
Guest
That’s not what the rule says at all. Here is the actual wording, from the official NRL rule book (https://www.nrl.com/siteassets/operations/documentation/nrl_laws_interpretations_2020.pdf): “The Referee (or Review Officials) may award a penalty try if, in his opinion, a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team.” All the Eels player had to do was catch a ball that was bouncing into his chest and run about a metre and a half with the Knights defenders both at least a couple of metres away (and one of them running in the wrong direction). It’s entirely reasonable for the video ref to decide that he would have done that if he hadn’t been tackled without the ball.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Nope seems fair to me.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
No.. Unless you look at Moses dropping the ball over the line earlier in the year in which case can't ever give a penalty try. This one was pretty cut and dry though.
Womblat
Guest
WAYYY too much had to happen to make a try a certainty, which is what the penalty try rule says. I don't care the Knights lost. I care the referees just have too much say in the sport when they don't make a single tackle or score a single try. Referees: Get out of the game. Not one person in the crowd is there to see YOU.