A annoyed Wayne Bennett has renewed calls to scrap the bunker overview system after Trai Fuller was denied a strive within the 14-6 loss to Newcastle, ending the Dolphins’ NRL finals hopes.
Mature-age rookie Fuller darted over on the left facet halfway via the primary half to attain what gave the impression to be the opening strive of Sunday’s shootout for eighth spot at Hunter Stadium.
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However on nearer inspection, the bunker dominated Dolphins second-rower Connelly Lemuelu had impacted the skin shoulder of Knights ahead Brodie Jones and prevented him from reaching Fuller.
Newcastle ran within the subsequent two tries and in the end clinched the final spot within the high eight, crushing the Dolphins’ hopes of a maiden finals berth of their second season.
Lemuelu had additionally contacted Jack Cogger along with his run however impacted solely the Knights’ five-eighth’s inside shoulder — not grounds for an obstruction as a result of his passage to the ball had not been blocked.
At full-time, Benett urged it was Cogger who had obstructed Jones and never Lemuelu, livid that the strive had not stood.
“If that is the place we’re going we’re in a good bit of bother as a result of that is a strive each week,” mentioned the outgoing Dolphins coach.
“The three defender (Cogger) dedicated our participant who was operating the within shoulder, which is what he is imagined to do, and the 4 defender (Jones) bumped into him and so they mentioned he (Lemuelu) obstructed him.
“If that is the case there might be no extra of these tries scored.
“The 4 defender will run straight into the man operating via as a result of he is aware of he will get a penalty … it is simply loopy. I really feel unhappy for the groups going ahead within the subsequent 4 weeks as a result of another person goes to pay the worth for it.”
An ardent critic of the bunker up to now, Bennett took one other swipe on the video overview system after his final recreation earlier than rejoining South Sydney for the 2025 season.
“We eliminate it (the bunker),” he mentioned.
“The refs used to get it mistaken up to now, however we acquired on with life.
“We did not analyse it like we’re doing at the moment. (NRL soccer boss) Graham Annesley will get up each second week and apologises for one thing that went mistaken.”
Bennett insisted his frustration was not because of the consequence that precluded his facet from finals
“I am not complaining concerning the truth we acquired overwhelmed right here as a result of it was a troublesome recreation. It might have went both means and we each performed our hearts out,” he mentioned.
“That is not the issue.”
AAP
