LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Controversy has arisen following NSW's victory in State of Origin 1 over allegations of illegal play regarding Dylan Edwards' match-sealing try.
Edwards scored to put NSW ahead 18-6 with just eight minutes left, seemingly shutting down any hopes of a Queensland comeback.
However, reports indicate that Edwards may have been off-side during the play.
The sequence began with Edwards at dummy-half, who passed to Nathan Cleary from a meter out.
Cleary then kicked to the wing for Zac Lomax, who passed to Connor Watson, ultimately setting up Edwards for the try.
Despite the significance of the play, on-field referee Ashley Klein and Bunker official Chris Butler failed to spot that Edwards was in an off-side position at the moment the ball was kicked.
Regulations state that a player in front of the kicker cannot approach within 10 meters of where the ball is caught unless they have retreated behind the kicker.
Edwards, however, was still within this 10-meter range when Lomax made the catch.
The debate centers around whether the officials overlooked this key rule, as Edwards never managed to retreat to the point where Cleary kicked.
The try, which gave NSW a significant lead, drew immediate scrutiny from fans and experts questioning if Edwards' position violated NRL rules.
Even if the try had been disallowed, NSW would have maintained an eight-point lead with limited time left, but the missed penalty raises concerns about officiating accuracy in crucial moments of high-stakes games.
As tensions continue to simmer post-match, the incident serves as a reminder of how pivotal moments can be affected by seemingly small oversights in officiating, stirring debates about the integrity of the game and the importance of thorough review processes in challenging scenarios.