The National Rugby League (NRL) has acknowledged a crucial referee error during Canberra’s golden-point victory over the Dolphins (formerly called the Redcliffe Dolphins).
The score was tied at 30-30 when Canberra’s Hudson Young knocked the ball forward into Ray Stone’s arm, before regaining possession. The Raiders were then awarded a set restart after NRL officials pinged Kaufusi for knocking the ball forward. Jamal Fogarty later scored the match-winning field goal over the Dolphins.
NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley admitted that referee Peter Gough was obscured in his view of the knock-on resulting in the referee error, but the sideline officials should have stopped play. Annesley expressed his disappointment that an official decision had affected the game’s outcome.
The NRL is reviewing South Sydney’s interchange breach, and it is likely that they will receive a fine for having 14 men on the field for 15 seconds during their win over Brisbane.
Annesley also warned against blanket punishments, arguing that circumstances vary in each case. He pointed out that teams have previously been docked points in close matches for interchange breaches, with Canterbury being the most recent in 2009.
However, he emphasized that blanket rules are not the answer, as there are many different circumstances and degrees of seriousness. He gave an example of how a player’s presence on the field might significantly impact the game’s outcome in one scenario but not in another.
Published 5-May-2023