NRL head of soccer Graham Annesley has revealed Penrith may have received Saturday night time’s golden level thriller towards Newcastle in regulation time, admitting referee Peter Gough would have been inside his rights to award a uncommon three-point area purpose.
The Panthers have been trailing by one level within the 77th minute of the Round 7 conflict when captain Nathan Cleary efficiently booted a area purpose to even the scores at 15-15.
Cleary was taken out late by Knights ahead Lachlan Fitzgibbon as he booted the one-pointer, inflicting a melee that took a number of minutes to kind out, however no penalty was blown.
The 25-year-old in the end clinched victory in golden level with a 39-metre area purpose, breaking the hearts of all 26,084 Newcastle supporters McDonald Jones Stadium.
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Annesley condemned Fitzgibbon’s actions throughout his weekly soccer briefing on Monday afternoon, stating his “unnecessary” late hit may have value Newcastle the match.
“There is also a thing called the three-point field goal, if a player is fouled in the act of kicking a field goal,” Annesley stated.
“The contact here is not heavy, it’s not even serious in terms of foul play, but it could have easily bought a penalty.
“This game could have ended before it even went into extra time.
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“In another game in a similar situation, that could have been ruled a foul on a kicker after a field goal, and that could have resulted in a penalty kick right in front of the posts. Instead of your one point, you gets three points.
“It’s just an unnecessary action that risks a team losing the game … it didn’t have to happen.”
The competitors’s most up-to-date three-point area purpose came about throughout the Round 18 contest between Norths and Newtown in 1982.
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Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
