NRL admits to sin bin, try errors in Panthers-Warriors clash
Author:
NRL.com
Timestamp: Mon 1 Jul 2019, 02:19 PM
NRL head of football Graham Annesley has conceded match officials made some serious errors in Penrith's extra-time win over the Warriors on Sunday, including Panthers forward Liam Martin being allowed to return early from his stint in the sin bin.
Annesley, in his weekly media briefing on Monday afternoon, said after an investigation into the incident, it was determined Martin had returned to the field around 90-100 seconds early after he had been banished for his team's repeated infringements.
He stressed it was due to human error not due to any technological problems.
Penrith's other sin-binned player, Jarome Luai, should not have been banished for 10 minutes, according to Annesley, because Roger Tuivasa-Sheck knocked the ball on, ending the play, before Luai was deemed to have committed a professional foul on the Warriors captain.
Annesley also conceded the decision by the NRL Bunker to award a try to David Fusitu'a was clearly incorrect as the Warriors winger's hand had hit the ground over the sideline before he touched down.
Penrith won the match 19-18 in extra time and coach Ivan Cleary voiced his displeasure with the officiating in the post-match media conference.