The NRL has conceded the bunker got it wrong – again – on the weekend when awarding the New Zealand Warriors a try after a knock-on against North Queensland.
However, in what might come as a shock to clubs and fans, the bunker and its decision-making efficiency rate sits at an impressive 98 per cent this season.
Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed video officials had overseen nearly 1500 decisions across the opening 16 rounds – and there were only a handful of errors.
Among the incorrect decisions were:
• Cowboys forward Reuben Cotter being incorrectly sin-binned for taking out Sam Walker without the ball at Magic Round;
• That same weekend, Damien Cook was denied a try when he kicked the ball out of the hands of Penrith’s Brian To’o;
• In round ten, Rob Toia was awarded a try by the bunker, only for the NRL to rule he had dropped the ball;
• Cowboys speedster Tom Chester was wrongly awarded a try when he dropped the ball over the line while being pursued by Dolphins winger Selwyn Cobbo.
The latest incorrect call happened on Sunday, when Warriors’ fullback Taine Tuaupiki appeared to knock the ball on into Cowboys counterpart Scott Drinkwater, before Adam Pompey pounced on the loose ball for a try.
Bunker official Wyatt Raymond was seated in a truck with access to plenty of camera angles outside One NZ Stadium in Christchurch, and did not believe there was a knock-on.
An NRL spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday: “The bunker official [Raymond] did not believe there was sufficient evidence to reverse the on-field decision of a try, however, on review of all available camera angles, the NRL has formed the view that the try should have been overturned”.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten was convinced Tuaupiki touched the ball, and said after the game: “I’ll tell you what will really be frustrating is if we get an apology email through the week, or a phone call.
“When the bunker has so many angles, I understand there’s going to be human error, but they’re big moments. Games can turn on those types of decisions, and we’re getting too many wrong in the game.”
When informed the NRL had since confirmed it had been the wrong call, Payten told this masthead on Tuesday: “I don’t want to say too much about it. It’s done. I could tell it was a knock-on watching it on my iPad in the coaches box on the night.
“The fans will sit at home and complain and then forget about it. For us, it’s our livelihoods. These decisions impact what we do.”
The NRL is never happy with mistakes by match officials, but the league is adamant, the same sources said, that the bunker catches many more potential errors.
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