LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In a stunning NRL match, the St.
George Illawarra Dragons lost to the Wests Tigers, leaving coach Shane Flanagan baffled.
A critical moment came when Dragons forward Jaydn Su'A bombed a try just seconds before halftime, shifting the game's momentum.
However, many fans were also outraged by a try scored by Tigers winger Charlie Staines, which appeared to stem from an offside offense.
The match began with both teams trading tries, but the Tigers led 12-10, bolstered by Adam Doueihi's goal-kicking.
A pivotal moment occurred in the 12th minute when Doueihi, seemingly offside from a cross-field kick by Jarome Luai, caught the ball uncontested.
He offloaded before being tackled, leading to Staines' try in the corner.
Fox League commentator Andrew Voss noted that Luai's kick came unusually late, raising questions about whether the Tigers players had moved into an offside position.
Despite replays showing evidence of Doueihi's potential offside, the Bunker chose not to overturn the try, prompting significant backlash from viewers on social media who insisted it should not have counted.
This decision allowed the Tigers to extend their lead to six points, which ballooned to ten after Samuela Fainu also scored.
Dragons co-captain Clint Gutherson played a crucial role in defending against a 40/20 kick from Api Koroisau, preventing the Tigers from further extending their lead.
As the first half approached its conclusion, the Dragons appeared to gain momentum with Su'A set to score, but his missed opportunity proved to be a turning point in the match.
The combination of missed calls from officials and the Dragons' failure to capitalize on their chances has led to intense scrutiny and debate within the NRL community.