'You should watch again': Dragons coach Shane Flanagan 'amazed' after late call proves costly

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has taken a swipe at the match officials, admitting he was "amazed" by one decision late in his side's loss to the Sharks.

For the third time this season, St George Illawarra butchered a 12-point lead, going down against their local rivals on Thursday night.

The visitors led 18-6 at half time, but let in four answered tries in the second half as Cronulla returned to the winners' circle on their home deck.

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Speaking post-game, Flanagan said he was impressed with the opening half but once again, the Dragons failed to string an entire 80 minutes together.

"It was just a mirror of the first half, but with different coloured jerseys," he said.

"We were good in the first half and competed really hard - they just did it better.

"It was 12 points the difference and the last try, we needed to score so I understand our young half Lyhkhan [King-Togia] trying to do something ... that's brave of him.

"But there were some decisions that I was amazed at."

Flanagan was then asked whether the decisions were related to his own team or from the referees, to which he made his feelings incredibly clear.

"You were watching it, weren't you?," he said.

"There was a kick off you should watch again. The kick off with Moses Suli, there's a red-line there, it's called a 40-metre line.

"Moses Suli was on the other side of the 40-metre line. You can watch it."

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Suli was near the ball, but it was actually Luciano Leilua who batted it back to one of his teammates, before referee Grant Atkins blew a penalty against the Dragons.

At the time, the Saints trailed by just six points and there was still plenty of time left on the clock for them to level the scores and come away with the victory.

Clint Gutherson pleaded with Atkins, who told the co-captain that the ball didn't go over the red line, despite clear evidence to the contrary on replays.

Nine commentator Andrew Johns was confused by the decision, before Peter Psaltis quickly pointed out the Red V had already burned their captain's challenge.

Moments later, Sione Katoa scored a 60-metre solo try to ice the game for Cronulla.