Panthers dudded twice in major NRL wake-up call

NRL referee Gerard Sutton tin number himself fortunate Penrith didn't request to trust connected 2 costly decisions successful Saturday's preliminary last demolition of South Sydney.

The game's caput of shot operations, Graham Annesley, confirmed connected Monday that Sutton doubly erred successful denying the Panthers a effort during the game.

The archetypal came erstwhile Viliame Kikau made a interruption downfield, offloaded to Jarome Luai, who stepped and jigged past changed absorption earlier throwing a agelong walk to Charlie Staines who slid implicit the line.

READ MORE: NRL admits immense blunder that outgo Cowboys

PAUL GALLEN: Family play hanging implicit expansive last week

READ MORE: Sledge that fuelled Cody Walker's post-match anger

The effort was awarded but aft reviewing it successful the Bunker, Sutton ruled respective Rabbitohs defenders were obstructed erstwhile Luai ran down his teammate James Fisher-Harris.

The determination was slammed by league greats Andrew Johns and Phil Gould arsenic "laughable", "disgraceful", and a "howler".

Slater baffled by Bunker call

Annesley present says the effort should person stood.

"This is intelligibly a judgement telephone by the Bunker, but connected reviewing this (on Monday) morning... I deliberation what we tin spot are the defenders are not obstructed," Annesley told media.

Stream the NRL premiership 2022 unrecorded and escaped on 9Now

"There's nary carnal obstruction, successful information if thing (the defenders) really springboard disconnected Fisher-Harris to (help them) alteration direction.

"In my presumption this should not person been called an obstruction."

NRL great's request aft Bunker's 'absolute rot'

Later successful the contention - luckily erstwhile the Panthers were good connected their mode to a 32-12 triumph - Sutton ruled Penrith centre Stephen Crichton did not crushed the shot erstwhile helium miraculously bushed hostile Richie Kennar successful a ft race.

Crichton had stunned Kennar by sprinting to scope the shot earlier it went dead, and someway reached his manus astir the Souths subordinate to works the shot down.

But Sutton ruled determination was nary "downward pressure" from Crichton and truthful denied the try.

"When the shot is connected the crushed you don't person to person power of the football, you lone person to interaction the shot (to people a try)," league fable Billy Slater pointed retired to The Sunday Footy Show.

"The crippled was done then, the crippled was done and dusted. But if it's 20-all... that's a try."

Again, connected Monday, Annesley conceded the Panthers had been dudded by the Bunker's call.

Penrith centre Stephen Crichton was denied a effort by the Bunker contempt intelligibly grounding the ball. (Nine)

"I deliberation determination is wide grounds that Crichton has got the shot down, and that should person been awarded a try," Annesley said.

"I'm not making excuses, we expect these decisions to beryllium right. Clearly that should person been a try."

Annesley is acceptable to nonstop a stern reminder to his lucifer officials large calls request to beryllium made correctly, for fears a akin incidental whitethorn hap successful Sunday's expansive final, which volition determine the premiership.

"These are adjacent calls. The things that we've looked astatine contiguous are adjacent calls," helium said.

"Thankfully they didn't interaction the result of the game, and we don't privation to find ourselves successful a concern wherever they bash interaction the result of games."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

The 2022 RLPA Dream Team - arsenic voted by each contracted NRL player