'Let my team down': Isabelle Kelly in tears after 'pedantic' Bunker call proves costly for NSW
Updated . First published at
A teary Isabelle Kelly has admitted she "let her team down" after being denied a try due to an error grounding the ball in the final game of Women's State of Origin series.
NSW were trailing by six when Yasmin Clydsdale made a break and flicked the ball into a supporting Abbi Church to run towards the line.
Church managed to offload the ball into her skipper as Shenae Ciesiolka looked to take down the NSW fullback, leaving Kelly to dart over untouched.
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The excitement quickly turned as the Bunker intervened, with video official Liam Kennedy ruling that Kelly never grounded the ball, leaving Phil Gould up in arms.
Isabelle Kelly crosses the line to score a try for the NSW Blues. Getty
"I hate this interpretation, I really do," he said on Nine.
"In every grade of rugby league, everywhere in the world, at any time, that is a try, unless you are on TV. I hate that rule, I hate it. I think if it's your arm, that's good enough.
"That is a try, that is a try. Why are we so pedantic? That's a try."
Queensland great Darren Lockyer agreed that the call was harsh on Kelly, given she had no defenders near her preventing the ball from being grounded.
"If you're being tackled and you don't ground the ball like that, fair enough," he said.
"But there's no one close. She was going in to score a try."
Isabelle Kelly fails to score Nine
The decision ended up being costly for the Blues, as they fell 18-14 in game three.
Asked about the incident post-match, Kelly admitted she was quite emotional knowing that the incident had a major bearing on the result.
"I'm not really to sure, I haven't really looked back on it," the skipper said.
"I'm obviously someone who gets very disappointed when I let my team down as I am right now ... sorry."
NSW coach John Strange jumped in to continue answering the question about the act as Kelly sat back wiping away her tears.
"I've had a look at it a couple of times and I think you'd have to say that the ball touched the ground, but it is what it is," he said.
John Strange and Isabelle Kelly speak to the media post-match. Nine
"There's been a couple of close calls in this series. There was that try [by Tamika Upton] that got allowed for Queensland in game two for whatever reason.
"I've worked with Issy for a long time and she is an inspiration to all the players she plays with, and all the girls who look up to her. She is an inspiration to me as well.
"It is what it is. It is obviously disappointing for all of us, these girls are so competitive, which is why I grabbed them after the game to let them know they achieved their goal.
"Issy is the first NSW vice-captain to hold the shield up so that'll go down in history."
Rewatch the 2025 Women's State of Origin series on 9Now.
Roosters teammate Millie Elliott, who is unavailable for the 2025 Origin series due to pregnancy, admitted the denied try will be one Kelly "won't stop hearing about."
"I saw it on the replay and thought with the slippery conditions, you want to make sure you've got hold of the ball and that's what was going through her mind," she said.
"She won't ever do that again and she won't stop hearing about it, that's for sure."
Jayme Fressard and Jessica Sergis put the hosts ahead before the break at McDonald Jones Stadium on a rainy night in Newcastle.
But in a surprising second half ambush, Chelsea Lenarduzzi and Romy Teitzel both scored for the Maroons to secure the win and avoid a whitewash.
