'No excuses': NRL takes blame for referee howler

NRL caput of shot elite competitions Graham Annesley has responded to disapproval implicit an eight-tackle howler successful the Knights triumph implicit Souths, stating "there are nary excuses".

With the people astatine 12-4, Knights guardant Daniel Saifiti managed to pounce connected a grubber which gave them momentum to tally distant with victory. Post-game it was revealed connected Channel Nine's sum that the effort was scored disconnected an eight-tackle set.

Speaking astatine his play briefing, Annesley admitted it was the incorrect call. 

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"There are nary excuses for it, it's an error, it's wrong, it's a elemental refereeing error, and he's miscounted the tackles," helium said.

"There are 2 tackles that hap virtually connected apical of each different and back-to-back.

"It was a seven-tackle set, and the effort was scored connected the eighth tackle.

"Of people it is small consolation [to Souths] different than the information the crippled is being accountable.

"The Bunker doesn't intervene with wide play. There is simply a referees' authoritative successful the stands who has audio contact, and 1 of their jobs is to assistance guarantee the referee has the tackle number right.

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"Even those measures don't halt mistakes.

"In that peculiar incident, you person a seven-tackle set, a agelong break, they got the archetypal fewer right, past we had that messy country adjacent the effort line.

"There were 2 speedy play-the-balls successful the nonstop aforesaid spot, and that's intelligibly thrown their count.

"There are nary excuses for it. It is simply a consecutive miss by the referee."

Knights triumph marred by controversy

Despite the uproar implicit the decision, NRL icon Phil Gould believes it's not a large issue.

"It's unfortunate (but) it's a tempest successful a teacup," helium said connected Nine's 100% Footy.

"It did not determine the effect and successful this time of zero tackles and six agains and 7 tackle sets, each present and past it's going to happen, one's going to gaffe through. It's astir apt happened a fewer times this twelvemonth but not been noticed due to the fact that nary 1 scored oregon they kicked connected tackle 4 alternatively of tackle five.

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"It tin happen. Players get confused, we spot players get caught connected the past tackle due to the fact that they're unsure of the tackle number and don't cognize wherever they are with it. We spot players footwear connected tackle 3 oregon four, we deliberation wherefore did they bash that? Because they deliberation it's tackle 4 oregon five.

The Bulldogs supremo went connected to authorities the incidental had nary bearing connected the result.

"That did not bushed South Sydney, nor was it the crushed South Sydney conceded the effort due to the fact that successful this epoch of six tackle sets and six agains, sometimes you've got to tackle for 14 oregon 15 tackles successful a enactment and inactive not concede the points," helium explained.

"They should person defended that, they didn't support that."