Legends fumes at 'ridiculous' late-game penalty

Rugby league legends Andrew Johns and Peter Sterling were some near scratching their heads aft the Storm were handed a arguable punishment precocious successful their 28-18 triumph implicit Manly.

Melbourne contiguous was ruthless, punishing Manly doubly successful the 2nd fractional with tries connected the backmost of costly errors en way to their 17th consecutive win.

And portion Melbourne was much than deserving of tonight's win, it wasn't without a head-scratcher precocious successful the lucifer erstwhile Manly was penalised for a tackle disconnected the shot that appeared intolerable to avoid.

With conscionable nether 8 minutes remaining and the Sea Eagles trailing by eight, Des Hasler's men were penalised aft Josh Schuster and Martin Taupau made a tackle connected Storm hooker Brandon Smith, who was starring into the line.

Smith's effort was side-by-side with Harry Grant, who had the shot and was showing to his teammate earlier dummying and going himself, which near the 2 Manly players stranded and forced into a collision with the Melbourne hooker.

Manly penalised for disconnected the shot tackle connected Brandon Smith (Getty)

"You can't [call that a penalty]. If idiosyncratic leads into that enactment the close... This is conscionable ridiculous," Johns said successful commentary for Nine.

"He's (Brandon Smith) laughing!"

"Collisions similar that are going to happen, helium goes close into the enactment and Schuster has to perpetrate to the tackle.

"Footwork, helium gets his feet into a presumption to marque the tackle, and the divided 2nd helium (Grant) dummies and goes himself. That's ridiculous."

Meanwhile, Sterling believes if Schuster and Taupau made nary effort to hole for Smith receiving the shot from Grant, past it would've resulted successful an casual effort had the second opted to walk and not dummy and spell himself.

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"Not that adjacent to the antiaircraft line," Sterling added.

"If helium catches it and they (Schuster and Taupau) haven't made the effort, he's (Smith) through. You can't propulsion retired that late.

"Don't look astatine that successful dilatory motion. Have a look successful mean velocity and spot the determination making and the clip they have."

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