Wayne Bennett calls on NRL to 'get rid of' the Bunker after 'so wrong' call against Knights
Updated . First published at
Wayne Bennett has called for the NRL to "get rid of" the Bunker, declaring a poor decision will end a team's finals campaign this season.
Bennett's Dolphins tenure came to an end after his side's 14-6 loss to the Knights, who will now after his side's 14-6 loss to the Knights
Midway through the first half, the Dolphins looked to have scored first through Trai Fuller, before the Bunker ruled Connelly Lemuelu had obstructed Jack Cogger.
READ MORE: 'Can't believe it': Ponga brilliance books finals spot
READ MORE: Sharks star faces nervous wait as tempers flare
READ MORE: Family tragedy revealed after Aussie icon's medal-winning race
Speaking to media post-game, Bennett suggested the decision set a dangerous precedent for the finals.
"If that's where we're going in the game, then we're in a fair bit of trouble because that's a try that will never be scored again," he said.
The Dolphins were denied the first try against the Knights after Connelly Lemuelu was judged to have obstructed Jack Cogger. Nine
"(Cogger) committed to our player, who's run the inside shoulder, which is what he's supposed to do.
"(Lemuelu) ran into him, and then they said that he had obstructed (Brodie Jones).
"If that's the case there will be no more of those tries scored, because the defenders will deliberately run straight into another guy that's going through because he knows he's going to get a penalty.
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
"It's just crazy. I feel sad for the team's going forward in the next four weeks, (because) we can't get it right. Someone else is going to pay a price.
"I don't think anyone that follows rugby league would accept that wasn't a try."
The decision left Johns – who was more than vocal in his support of his former team – fuming during his call on the Nine broadcast.
"That is so wrong," he said.
"You know who I'm going for, (Newcastle) means everything to me, but that is wrong.
"Jack Cogger is the one who instigates contact."
Phil Gould echoed those sentiments and was scathing in his criticism.
"That is just wrong. That is just a total misunderstanding of what obstruction should look like. That is such a bad decision," he said.
"If you run at one man's inside shoulder, you are running at the outside shoulder of the next man in. They both go to that man in the tackle.
"The referee in the Bunker has got no idea."
Bennett said he felt instead of playing a winner-takes-all playoff game for eighth spot, the Dolphins should've had a spot in the eight already stitched up.
He believes incorrect Bunker decisions had cost his side the game on two occasions this season. He conceded this decision was not one of them.
"The frustrating part I think for all the coaches is that we can live with the scoreboards, we can live with our players not being perfect, and I understand referees aren't perfect," Bennett said.
"But we've got this thing called the Bunker, and the Bunker can see everything it … but the bottom line is humans run it. That's what fails the system."
