REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN

Monday, May 11, 2009

THIS was the moment the Gold Coast Titans were denied what could have been a match-winning try against Newcastle.

As replacement William Zillman dove over to score from dummy-half with 93 seconds remaining and his side trailing 2318, captain Scott Prince and Knights marker Junior Sau were tangled up at the play-the-ball.

Titans backrower Mark Minichiello later called it “a sh---ty little indiscretion which happens every play-the-ball”.

Prince claimed it was all Sau’s fault.

“I got up to play the ball and the Newcastle player was tied up with me. I didn’t reach out and grab him,” Prince said.

But Sau said the video “never lies”.

“(Prince) had me in a headlock. Everyone could see that,” said Sau. “I didn’t milk it. I would have stopped him (Zillman) 100 per cent but he (Prince) didn’t let me. I knew it wasn’t going to be a try.”

Video referee Sean Hampstead agreed with Sau and flashed the red light on the try and effectively the match for the Titans.

The decision provoked a caustic response from Titans coach John Cartwright, who said he had never seen a game with more refereeing inconsistencies.

“It’s a defender’s responsibility to get off the man with the ball, it’s not Princey’s job to get rid of the defender, that’s what half the penalties are given for,” Cartwright said.

He also took issue with a 47thminute disallowed try to Chris Walker when his winger was ruled to have knocked-on.