The Melbourne Storm claimed a wild 24-16 win over the Brisbane Broncos in a conflict loaded with controversial moments on Thursday evening.
But whereas there have been 4 sin bins, a number of melees and penalty attempt within the contentious affair, eyebrows had been raised early over a possible shoulder cost from Broncos fullback Reece Walsh.
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With the Storm main 6-0 and attacking the Broncos’ line, an overlap left Storm centre Justin Olam virtually destined to attain.
Only Broncos fullback Reece Walsh made a determined final try, placing his physique on the road to knock the ball out of Olam’s hand.
But eyebrows had been raised over whether or not it was a shoulder cost.
Over the years, there have been a number of comparable situations, most notably former Storm fullback Billy Slater, who landed in sizzling water for the same deal with within the 2018 preliminary ultimate on Sharks winger Sosaia Feki.
While he was initially charged, he challenged and gained with the Storm efficiently arguing Slater used his palms within the deal with, permitting him to play within the Grand Final.
And the Queensland coach believed Walsh’s motion was truthful play.
“It was a good decision, because they were both headed to the same spot when Olam changes his line to go in towards Reece Walsh,” Slater stated.
“There’s not much he can do. He’s just got to embrace the contact, make sure he doesn’t hit Olam in the head, which we didn’t do. I think that’s a good decision.”
Andrew Johns agreed.
“In desperation like this you just throw everything you’ve got,” he stated.
“He just throws everything at Olam. There is no technique, he just launches at him.”
But on Triple M’s protection, the choice was far more hotly contested.
Commentator Anthony Maroon stated: “That’s definitely a shoulder charge.”
But Wendell Sailor disagreed.
“He tried to get his arm around there,” he stated.
But Sharks star Wade Graham wasn’t shopping for it: “C’mon Dell.”
“Look at his right arm trying to come around,” Sailor continued.
Maroon added: “That will be a Dally M shoulder charge of the year.
“You are so biased.”
But the choice got here by way of with no point out of a possible shoulder cost.
Graham stated: “Honestly, it looks like a shoulder charge to me.”
But Sailor was adamant.
“There’s no shoulder charge. I don’t know what you’re watching,” he stated
When it was dominated no attempt, Sailor was rejoicing however Graham steered “the match review committee will have something to say about that.”
On Fox League, commentators questioned whether or not Walsh wrapped his arm round after finishing the deal with.
“Are we okay with the tackle?” Michael Ennis requested. “Is he using a wrapping motion Reece Walsh?
“He lunges with the shoulder. It’s always harder for the fullbacks because of the desperation, they’re just trying use their bodies as the shield.”
But the bunker official Gerard Sutton cleared the shoulder cost, with Dan Ginnane saying it “becomes a try saving tackle”.
However, from that second, the evening bought far more controversial as the following ball utilization noticed the Broncos rating on the different finish of the sphere through a penalty attempt, in the identical play as dropping Adam Reynolds in a terrifying scene which noticed him stretched from the sphere.
There had been additionally 4 sin bins — three for the Broncos and one for the Storm — together with a brand new hip drop drama for Broncos star Pat Carrigan.
Carrigan has a nasty historical past with hip drop tackles after he was banned for 4 matches final 12 months for the deal with that broke Jackson Hastings’ leg.
Both coaches defended Carrigan’s actions post-game.
Walters virtually stepped over the road to blast the referees, saying: “Were they fair sin bins? “I’m not going to comment on that because my contract’s not big enough to pay the fine.”
Asked concerning the Carrigan hip drop sin bin, Walters merely stated: “He slipped down his legs.”
Walters was once more requested concerning the hip drop and whether or not the NRL want to regulate the way it adjudicates the rule: “Yeah, definitely. You wouldn’t like to see that in a Grand Final.”
Even Storm coach Craig Bellamy believed it was a troublesome name.
“I think we’re very inconsistent with it,” Bellamy stated. “I think Patrick tonight was very unlucky to go to the sin bin. I’m thinking along the lines of Kevvie’s thinking there.
“I thought it was a really tough decision to send him to the sin bin but that was sort of the way the game went tonight.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au