Canberra Raiders fans are still in disbelief after a calamitous refereeing stuff-up during last night’s NRL Grand Final tilted the game in the Sydney Roosters’ favour.
To convey the perspective of the upset: I am writing this from Melbourne while my New South Welsh colleagues take the day off. The fury has radiated across state lines.
Anyway.
With scores tied at 8-8 with fewer than ten minutes remaining, the Raiders were pressing the Roosters deep into their own territory when a huge bomb bounced off a player and into the hands of Canberra captain Josh Hodgson.
Referee Ben Cummins seemed to wave his arm around in the air, signalling six again – that is, the Raiders were granted six more tackles before a turnover.
Until the ruling wasn’t six again. As Canberra’s Jake Wighton dove into another tackle, expecting the opportunity to safely take a set, the ref ruled that was actually a turnover.
[jwplayer VN2Larm4]
Perhaps riding their outrageous good fortune, the Roosters eventually fought back, winning 14-8.
Speaking after the match, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was more reserved than many others would be in the situation.
“If it is the wrong call – and I’ve only seen it once – there’s not a referee that would try to make a mistake if it was a mistake,” he said.
“I hope that if it is wrong, I hope he’s not the spotlight of this evening.”
Stuart also called on the media to report on the referee’s call without imposing his own beliefs on the matter.
Ricky Stuart is remaining closed-lipped about THAT call. #NRLGF | @Channel9#9WWOS #NRL pic.twitter.com/XjAnMldnsj
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) October 6, 2019
Those are the facts of the matter. Now, let us express the emotion of the decision, by a quick perusal of League twitter:
Signalling six again & then changing their mind is the biggest referring blunder in grand final history…
Absolute disgrace.— Martin Lang (@Martin_Lang11) October 6, 2019
That may well be the biggest officiating blunder I have ever seen in a grand final in any code … truly bizarre #NRLGF
— Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) October 6, 2019
What a terrible way for a Grand Final to be decided😪
The referees should be ashamed of themselves.Ref- “six to go boys” ,
“Hahah just kidding, Roosters ball”😳#NRLGF #nrl— KidCowboy🤠 (@Kidcowboy2) October 6, 2019
Sorry @NRL but on your biggest day of the year, two teams playing out of their skins, everyone deserves better. #SixAgain 🤷🏻♂️
— Daniel MacPherson (@DanMacPherson) October 6, 2019
I poured myself a drink… a tequila… at 10pm on a school night… to deal with that shit. #sixagain
— b-rex 🦖 (@bRexSport) October 6, 2019
That was a real shame. It robbed the Raiders of a potential premiership, and put a dark cloud over the Roosters win. Appalling refereeing. #NRLGrandFinal
— Patrick Brammall (@PatrickBrammall) October 6, 2019
they’re fuckin quick 😂💀 #NRLGF #NRLGrandFinal #NRLRoostersRaiders #SixAgain pic.twitter.com/8KHqNEuWIU
— ash 🩷 (@ashsepticrae) October 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/ahcayley/status/1180796871964385280
Don’t think for a second that Rusty didn’t have his say, either.
Horseshit result in the @NRL Grand Final .
Yet another Rugby League embarrassment.
Raiders ripped off.#sixagain— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) October 6, 2019
So that’s two on the trot for the Roosters, and a fanbase-defining moment for the Canberra squad. See you in 2020.
