When it comes down to the business end of a match and scores are tight, the pressure intensifies on the players and the referees when kicking a field goals becomes the top priority.
In back-to-back weeks, referees have made calls on off-side players charging down a field goal – one right, one wrong – so league legend Gorden Tallis has come up with a rule change to make it black and white for all involved.
HEAR GORDIE’S RULE CHANGE FOR FIELD GOALS ON THE FOOTY TALK PODCAST:
Gordie’s suggestion comes after the Titans were robbed of victory against the Parramatta Eels when the Eels player Shaun Lane charged down a field goal attempt by Titans half Tanah Boyd from an offside position with the Gold Coast down 25-24 late in the game.
NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley admitted the wrong call was made on Monday at his weekly media briefing.
“Last week I stood here and defended referees for making a strong call on players who were offside when there was a field goal attempted that would have determined the outcome of the game,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this week I can’t mount the same defence for the officials.
“You can see that they’re at least one step or a metre over the goal line as the ball clears the ruck, which places them offside.
“There’s no doubt in this particular incident that the touch judge on the near side should have called those players offside.
“When they went through and the ball was charged down by Lane, the referee should have penalised him on the advice of the touch judge, but that advice didn’t come.
“There are many times I stand here and defend the decisions of the match officials, but you can’t defend it when it’s obviously wrong.”
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