'Laughable' Bunker 'howler' sparks uproar in Panthers-Rabbitohs preliminary final
The Bunker stripped the Panthers of a try early in their preliminary final clash with the Rabbitohs on Saturday night, prompting Andrew Johns to brand the decision "laughable".
Johns was left baffled after a Charlie Staines try in the 22nd minute was disallowed on the basis of obstruction.
Nathan Cleary sent a bomb swirling into the heavens, Taane Milne dropped the ball, Viliame Kikau swooped on the footy and he passed to Jarome Luai, who made a decision that turned out to be costly.
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Penrith was denied a try by the Bunker in polarisig scenes during its preliminary final clash with South Sydney. Nine
Luai changed direction and ran behind James Fisher-Harris, before throwing a looping ball to Staines, who slid over the white line.
Referee Ashley Klein awarded a try but the Bunker stepped in, denying Penrith its first four-pointer of the night.
"In ad-lib footy, kick chase, when there's an error, naturally there's going to be players in front of the ball," Johns said on the Nine coverage.
"This rule has been brought in for block plays when players are running lead runs and players are out the back and they're stopping defenders.
"Honestly, this is laughable.
"There've been some howlers this year."
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Billy Slater was stunned.
"Watch the defenders, watch the South Sydney Rabbitohs here," the Storm legend said.
"Not one of them were impeded."
Phil Gould labelled the call "one of the worst decisions" he'd ever seen.
"And I'm sick of saying that," Gould added.
"Because you say it every month.
"Someone will come up with a howler out of the Bunker."
"There's an old saying," Paul Gallen said.
"If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
"That was a try, an absolute try.
"I can't believe it was disallowed.
"No one was impeded here, no one even complained from South Sydney.
"I don't even know why they went back and looked at it.
"It was a try."
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