Rare 'downtown' rule comes back to bite NRL

3 years ago 372

The NRL's Head of Football Graham Annesley has revealed officials presiding implicit the Broncos' 35-22 triumph implicit the Knights missed a downtown telephone that led to Brisbane's opening effort astatine Suncorp Stadium.

After the uncommon ruling precocious recovered itself backmost successful headlines, most notably successful South Sydney's choky nonaccomplishment to the Panthers a fortnight ago, the niche offside telephone has again reared its caput - this clip missed by officials.

Annesley contiguous conceded Kobe Hetherington's opening effort for Brisbane should ne'er person stood aft helium was successful beforehand of some Anthony Milford and the ruck erstwhile the playmaker kicked connected the fifth.

While officials had deemed Hetherington offside, a juggle down the different extremity of the tract was judged capable to render the Bronco backmost successful the play arsenic helium scooped up a escaped shot to clang implicit nether the sticks.

Officials missed a downtown telephone successful the Broncos' clash against the Knights. (Getty)

Despite insisting instances of downtown calls were not flying nether the radar conscionable weeks ago, Annesley contiguous conceded it was 1 officials got wrong.

"That was missed by the officials," Annesley said contiguous successful his play property briefing.

"He was called arsenic being offside. The interaction judges knew helium was successful beforehand of the kicker. But with the juggle of the shot they decided helium was nary longer offside. But successful this case, helium couldn't beryllium placed onside nary substance what happened.

"So, conscionable arsenic we defended the officials for the downtown determination a fewer weeks ago, successful this case, the officials missed it and that effort should person been disallowed."

Fortunately, the lucifer effect was inconsequential with the Knights' seventh-place decorativeness assured and the Broncos already retired of finals contention.

Probed implicit whether the downtown regularisation needed to beryllium changed, Annesley trod a good line.

Graham Annesley (Getty)

"It's possibly 1 of the rules that we person to person a look astatine at the extremity of the year. In presumption of however it's officiated," helium said.

"It's not an casual 1 to prime up successful the tally of play… there's a just spot happening successful that area.

"It's 1 of those ones that tin beryllium missed rather easily… but galore volition get picked up.

Bizarre downtown telephone dogs Bunnies

"There's a batch of our rules are a spot similar that, and I don't deliberation it's a immense contented due to the fact that they don't hap precise often. It mightiness beryllium the wording of the regularisation itself it mightiness conscionable request a flimsy tweak.

"It wouldn't alteration the outcome, evidently you don't privation fractional the squad haring down the tract waiting to situation a kicker erstwhile helium receives the ball."

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