Millions of dollars were spent setting it up, but Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says the NRL bunker is a "waste of time" after two controversial calls derailed the Green Machine's finals hopes.
Not once, but twice decisions went against the Raiders, stalling their second-half fightback in the process, and helping Cronulla to a 28-24 victory at Shark Park on Friday night.
Firstly, with the Raiders firing with back-to-back tries making it 22-18 with 30 minutes to go, Sione Katoa was the only player to "play to the whistle".
Raiders centre Joey Leilua scored twp second-half tries.
Photo: AAP
Cronulla fullback Valentine Holmes threw a questionable pass to centre Jesse Ramien, who appeared to knock on.
The touch judge put up his flag, referee Gerard Sutton put the whistle to his lips and Katoa scored under the posts.
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Raiders half Blake Austin protests to the touch judge in Friday night's game.
Photo: NRL Imagery
Despite being sent upstairs, the bunker ruled there was enough evidence to overturn the on-field decision of "no try".
Making matters worse when it was 28-18, Raiders centre Joey Leilua, who scored two tries, threw a brilliant cut-out pass to an unmarked Brad Abbey, with the touch judge giving the pass the all clear only for Sutton to call it forward.
The Raiders needed to win to keep their finals hopes alive, but that seems shot now.
NRL referees boss Bernie Sutton sought to meet with Stuart immediately after the game, but the Canberra mentor didn't attend.
Stuart revealed he had criticised his players for not playing to the whistle only to find out what actually happened.
He said the problems officiating began at the start of the season when the NRL introduced their penalty crackdown and "ruined the first 14 rounds of the season".
"The bunker is a waste of time. For the referee to be able to use it as a tool for an 'I don't know' is wrong," Stuart said.
"The bunker is making it harder for the referees.
"When the forward pass was thrown by BJ Leilua, all the Cronulla right-hand-side defence was offside, they were inside the 10 [metres]. Why weren't we given the penalty for being offside?"
Both Stuart and Raiders acting captain Josh Hodgson said the two calls hadn't cost them the game – their first half had.
They trailed 22-6 at the break after the Sharks produced a slick first half with plenty of second-phase footy that had the Raiders' defence scrambling.
"We were all just waiting for the whistle, so we all stopped and they run through and score," Hodgson said.
"He called no try, you've got to give definitive proof … I don't think that vision showed he definitively didn't touch it.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't want everyone to think this cost us the game and we're having a whinge about the refs. Our first half cost us the game."
The Raiders got off to the worst possible start for the Raiders with winger Jordan Rapana sent to the sin bin for a professional foul in just the fourth minute.
Canberra defended well and only conceded one try while down to 12 men, but left themselves with a mountain of work to do when they were cut open several times after that.
Cronulla have an injury concern around second-rower Wade Graham (groin) and he didn't play the second half, but Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said it was precautionary.
The NRL will conduct a review into the decisions.
"The touchy shouldn't have raised his flag, that was an error, and then play should've stopped at that point," an NRL spokesman said.
"Secondary to that is the question around whether it was or wasn't a knock-on needs to part of a larger review of that decision."
The Raiders now face a massive task to make the eight over the final six rounds, especially given they travel to Melbourne to face the Storm next weekend.
AT A GLANCE
CRONULLA SHARKS 28 (Andrew Fifita, Ricky Leutele, Valentine Holmes, Wade Graham, Sione Katoa tries; Chad Townsend 4 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 24 (Joey Leilua 2, Brad Abbey, Jordan Rapana tries; Sam Williams 4 goals) at Shark Park. Referees: Gerard Sutton, Gavin Reynolds.
David Polkinghorne covers the Canberra Raiders, local rugby league, Canberra Cavalry, racing and cycling, along with every other sport, for The Canberra Times.
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