Tigers Coach Admits Luck as Bulldogs Vow to Challenge NRL Refereeing Decisions
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has openly acknowledged his team “dodged a bullet” and “got lucky” following a controversial disallowed try for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday night. The incident, which saw Josh Curran’s apparent four-pointer chalked off, has ignited a firestorm of debate, prompting Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo to declare his intention to formally lodge a complaint with the NRL. Ciraldo believes his team was on the receiving end of several questionable officiating calls during their hard-fought 22-16 defeat.
The most contentious moment of the match revolved around a charge down by Josh Curran. After Jarome Luai of the Tigers kicked the ball, Curran successfully charged it down and sprinted towards the try line, seemingly securing a legitimate try. However, the Bunker intervened, disallowing the score due to contact made by Curran with Luai’s kicking leg.
While the decision adhered strictly to the letter of the law, it left many within the rugby league community incensed. Even Marshall, at his post-match press conference, conceded, “I like that we’re protecting kickers but I thought we dodged a bullet there to be honest.” Adding another layer to the controversy, replays also suggested that Curran may not have successfully grounded the ball before his arm crossed the in-goal line.
Despite the potential for ambiguity on the grounding, Ciraldo expressed his bewilderment, not just at the Curran try but at a series of other decisions he felt went against his side.
Key Refereeing Controversies Raised by Bulldogs Coach
Ciraldo highlighted several specific incidents that he believes unfairly impacted the game’s outcome:
- The Josh Curran Try Disallowance: The primary point of contention. Ciraldo acknowledged the contact with Luai’s kicking leg but argued that Curran had legally charged down the ball first. He pointed out that Jarome Luai himself didn’t appear to believe a penalty had occurred, as he immediately turned to chase the kick.
- Alleged Offside Play Leading to a Try: Ciraldo was particularly incensed by an incident where he felt a Bulldogs player was taken out by an offside Wests Tigers player. He questioned what was worse: a minor touch to a kicker’s foot or a fullback being taken out by an offside opponent, which then led to a try.
- Stephen Crichton’s Disallowed Try: Another try for the Bulldogs was ruled out. Ciraldo was of the opinion that Stephen Crichton had successfully grounded the ball.
Replays of the alleged offside incident appeared to show Sunia Turuva of the Tigers positioned behind Luai’s kicking foot, suggesting he was not offside when he made contact with Bulldogs fullback Jacob Kiraz. The collision was interpreted by some as a contest for the ball. Crichton, meanwhile, had an unmarked teammate outside him when he opted to go himself, only to be held up by a spectacular try-saving tackle from Jahream Bula.
Bulldogs’ Frustration and NRL Complaint
Despite the statistical advantage in possession (53 per cent) and set restarts (7-0), the Bulldogs were unable to secure victory. Ciraldo made it clear that he would not shy away from voicing his team’s frustrations.
“I’m sending another email this week and I’ll get something written back,” Ciraldo stated. He elaborated on the Curran incident, saying, “The Josh Curran one, maybe the charge down is gone – his foot did touch him – but Josh charged the ball down first, chasing the kick and then Jarome’s foot hit him.”
He reiterated his concern about the other incidents: “If that’s the way it is, I’ll cop that. Jarome clearly didn’t think it was a penalty because he turned and chased. The more disappointing one was to go down the other end. Someone off-side takes out our fullback and then that’s a try. What’s worse? Someone touches your foot or someone takes out your fullback and they score a try.”
The debate surrounding the officiating has spilled onto social media, with opinions sharply divided on whether the Bulldogs were genuinely hard done by or if they should shoulder more responsibility for their loss. The club’s formal complaint is expected to address these perceived injustices, seeking clarification and potentially action from the NRL.
