The Sea Eagles were denied a crucial try to Tolutau Koula after Jake Trbojevic was controversially pinged for obstruction on Eels player Luca Moretti in the lead-up.
With the Eels leading 26-18 with 15 minutes to go, Tom Trbojevic sliced through a gaping hole and put Koula over for a try, which would have made it a two-point game.
The Sea Eagles eventually went down 28-24 in a thriller, with the obstruction call proving decisive.
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“Just looking at a possible obstruction,” referee Grant Atkins said.
“It is Jake Trbojevic going through the line here,” Corey Parker said on Fox League.
The Bunker ruled Moretti was denied a chance to tackle Trbojevic by his brother, despite making no real effort.
“Looking at a lead run of Jake Trbojevic,” the Bunker said.
“He is currently in front of the ball. He stops in the defensive line. Luca Moretti is now denied the chance to move forward. Tom Trbojevic takes that space, which is an obstruction.”
The crucial call caused a rigorous debate from Parker and Andrew Voss in commentary.
“They have been consistent with this rule,” Parker said.
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“Moretti does not look like he is going to get there for all money.”
“He is not putting any effort in,” Voss added.
“That’s correct, but the simple fact that he makes contact with Jake Trbojevic. Moretti is done. He has clocked off. That is not obstruction, he has clocked off and given up.”
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“That is a hard one,” Parker said.
“The look says it all from Seibold. It is a difficult one. They have been consistent with it. Moretti was gone. He had clocked off on his role.”
“He wasn’t denied a chance to make a tackle,” Voss said.
“He wasn’t putting himself in a position to make a tackle.”
“What a swing of events,” Parker concluded.
When asked about the incident in the post-match press conference, skipper Daly Cherry-Evans replied with a wry smile and surprisingly praised Moretti.
“You understand the ruling yeah, so you can understand it so it’s black and white right, but those ones are really hard to watch,” he said.
“Because the rule is black and white so I get it, but watching that one it’s at the other end of the spectrum isn’t it.
“I don’t think he’s going to get there so well played to him, he’s played to the rules.
“Consistency is the key in the NRL… as it stands that’s the way it goes so no problems with it as it stands.”
Meanwhile, coach Anthony Seibold batted off the question but believed his team should have been awarded a try.
“I’m biased, so I thought it was a try, but again it wasn’t ruled a try and we had to keep fighting,” Seibold said.
“We scored a try after that so you know, it’s a tough competition. Everyone’s seen the results and there’s a cluster of teams that are really close.
“So Parramatta were too good there today at times, but there was certainly some things we can hang onto and keep growing onto the back of that.”
Source Agencies
