Xavier Savage left stunned by controversial penalty try call in Raiders 50-point blitz
Updated . First published at
Xavier Savage was left stunned in Darwin as he was awarded a contentious penalty try during the Raiders' 50-point blitz against the Eels.
An opportunity to put points on the board was awarded to the Raiders in the 64th minute as Josh Addo-Carr managed to escape the sin bin for contact on Savage.
A grubber kick from Kaeo Weekes bounced over the top of Savage, who was unable to get hold of the ball, but the missed try-scoring display was sent for review by the Bunker.
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Xavier Savage reacts after he was awarded a penalty try. Fox League
The pair were in a tight chase for the ball as it neared the touchline but referee Wyatt Raymond feared Addo-Carr had impeded Savage and disrupted his run.
A video review of the incident indicated Addo-Carr had made minor contact with Savage during the pair's chase and had prevented Savage from scoring a try.
"Josh Addo-Carr illegally extends his arm and slows up the run of Xavier Savage," Bunker official Grant Atkins said.
Josh Addo-Carr makes contact with Xavier Savage. Fox League
"In our opinion (Savage) would have got to the ball before the Parramatta fullback and scored a try."
The decision to award a penalty try left Savage in shock as his team prepared to add another more points to their scoreline.
But Savage's confusion was not felt by league great Michael Ennis, who admitted he saw no issue with the Bunker awarding penalty try.
"I think if Josh Addo-Carr didn't make contact then (Savage) would be there before the bounce is up," Ennis said on Fox League.
"I don't disagree with that decision."
Hudson Young of the Raiders celebrates a try. Getty
The controversial penalty did not make any difference to the Eels nightmare result as the Raiders crossed twice more through Matty Nicholson and Sebastian Kris to hit 50 points.
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Earlier, the Raiders took control inside the Eels 20 as they sent skipper Joseph Tapine over to open the scoring in the sixth minute.
Corey Horsburgh attempted to follow his captain shortly after but came up short before Eels star Dylan Brown hit back to level the scores.
But Brown's efforts were quickly overshadowed as Ethan Strange kicked off a try-scoring onslaught for the green machine.
Hudson Young and Matthew Timoko joined Strange to round out the tries scored in the first half before Hudson Young added another six points in the 57th minute.
