Referees Co-coach Stuart Raper answers your most frequently asked questions from round 3.
We have had a lot of questions on the Dragons clash with the Wests Tigers, but it is important that we do not make any statement relating to these incidents, as this is a matter for consideration by the NRL match review committee and judiciary.
Double movement in Panthers v Rabbitohs - Travis Burns. Was this similar to Ben Pomeroy’s no-try for Wests Tigers v Sharks from round 1?
The decision to award Panthers five-eighth Travis Burns a try was the correct ruling by the video referee. Initially Burns is involved in a one-one-one strip, taking the ball from Rabbitohs winger Matt King, which he is entitled to do. Burns then makes his way to the try-line and his motion is continuous until the ball is grounded.
This is different to the Colin Best no-try from round 1, as Best was short of the line with tacklers on him before he promoted the ball, making a second effort to score. Burns' momentum takes him over the try-line, so the video referee is correct in awarding the try.
Kevin Locke in the Warriors v Bulldogs game. Did the ball touch the try-line?
We were happy with the decision to disallow Kevin Locke’s attempt to put the ball down in the Warriors clash with the Bulldogs at Mt Smart Stadium.
The video referee took into consideration:
- that Bulldogs defender Ben Barba’s arm was under the ball.
- the point of the ball was too high to be touching the ground.
- the location of the ball in Locke’s carry - it was too high to have touched the ground.
Considering these three points together, the video referee came up with a decision of no-try. In the video referees meeting today, the decision was fully supported.
