NSW coach Ricky Stuart last night revealed referees boss Bill Harrigan admitted video referee Sean Hampstead should never have awarded Greg Inglis's controversial 73rd-minute try. Inglis clearly knocked on after the ball ricocheted from Robbie Farah's boot onto the Queensland centre's forearms.
It bounced forward into the Blues' in-goal before Inglis planted the ball.
Yet despite numerous replays, Hampstead awarded the try to Inglis, sealing the 18-10 victory for the Maroons.
"Bill Harrigan admitted that the Inglis try should never have been awarded," Stuart told The Daily Telegraph last night.
"And that Greg Bird should not have been penalised for the lifting tackle on Cooper Cronk in the first half.
"He also said Akuila Uate should have been given a penalty when he was elbowed in the head (by Cameron Smith)."
The questionable decisions followed on from Matt Cecchin's first-half sin-binning of Blues centre Michael Jennings.
Earlier at the post-match press conference, Stuart was reluctant to criticise the referees.
"We won't be commenting on any decision in regards to referees tonight," Stuart said through gritted teeth.
In the wash-up, Jennings was slapped with a grade-one contrary conduct charge for charging in and belting Maroons winger Brent Tate in
the back of the head. He will be sidelined for a week regardless of his plea.
Worse still for the Blues, Queensland head to ANZ Stadium on June 13 looking to sweep the series and claim their seventh in a row.
History can wait. But about the Inglis try? With seven minutes to go, with his side holding on to a 12-10 lead, the Maroons freight train was awarded the try.
Gallen detonated when the decision eventually came down.
"This is getting out of control," bellowed NSW captain. "This is ridiculous where this is getting."
"He's ruled that it's come off the arm or the leg," referee Ben Cummins said to him.
"He f ... ing dropped the ball," Gallen fumed. "They've had the rub of the green all night. This is out of control. This is ridiculous where this is getting."
Oddly, Stuart said afterwards he believed it was a try.
Was he being sarcastic? Who would know?
"I think it was a try, actually," Stuart said.
"I knew they were going to give it a try.
"They didn't know. They kept having a look at it, but I was very confident they were going to award it."
Maroons prop Matt Scott had sparked the first-half brawl when he threw the ball at lock Greg Bird's head, with players from both sides quickly becoming involved.
Jennings seemingly ran in from interstate, a right-hand haymaker collecting the back of Tate's head.
"It was a silly action," Stuart conceded of Jennings rushing in.
"I won't comment further on that. I wish more people were involved.
"He was the ninth one to run in. A few of them must have popped out of the ground."
Gallen had a running battle with the officials all night, and you can expect a searching inquisition
to start as soon as today.
As the players left the field at half-time, the anger of Gallen towards rookie referee Cecchin was palpable. He chased the whistleblower as they left the field and voiced his disapproval at some of his calls.
Stuart's barely veiled rage was not matched by Maroons coach Mal Meninga and his captain Cameron Smith.
Of the Inglis try, Meninga said: "Yes, that's the rules. You can strike at the ball but then it is play on. It was a fair try. Is that the story? Trying to be controversial?"
Meninga described the Jennings punch that led to his sin-binning as a "deliberate act".
Smith agreed: "Jennings came in as the third man and got him in the back of the head."
Said Stuart: "The first six questions you asked Mal were about the referee. Most of you here are experienced rugby league journalists, and have seen a lot of football. Write what Mal and you think."
What did we think? It doesn't really matter. They were two decisions that decided the game.
Doubtless, though, Stuart and his players have searched for years to work out how to beat Queensland.
Now they will think they have to beat the refs, too.
