NRL admits Manly dudded by wrong call
COWBOYS superstar and former Dally M medallist, Jason Taumalolo, is well on the road to recovery with coach Paul Green suggesting the lock forward could return to the field sooner than expected.
Taumalolo has returned to full contact work at Cowboys’ training sessions, and Green believed the enigmatic forward would not be out for the maximum length of 10 weeks.
It will be music to the ears of Cowboys fans after the side snapped a four-game losing streak against the Warriors at Mt Smart.
“I don’t think (it will be 10 weeks), he is going pretty well,” Green said. SEA Eagles Immortal Bob Fulton has labelled the controversial decision to deny Manly a late penalty that could have sent Saturday night’s match against St George Illawarra into golden point as “diabolical” and an “illegal play”.
“And even the most diehard Dragons supporters would say what I am saying,” Fulton said.
In the 78th minute and with his side ahead by just two points, Saints centre Tim Lafai gave winger Jordan Pereira an “Jason has started contact work, he is still a couple of weeks away.
“Until we get back on the training paddock, you know we have been away for four days, we won’t know.”
Taumalolo was sidelined after the second-round clash against the Brisbane Broncos in which he sustained a medial ligament injury.
The enigmatic forward had come off a career-high 301 running metres in the opening round win over the Dragons, and appeared set for a massive season leading an all-star forward pack.
But an innocuous tackle involving Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jr soon had those dreams scuppered.
Lethal winger Kyle Feldt also apescort that denied Manly winger Reuben Garrick an opportunity leap and catch a Daly Cherry Evans bomb.
Replays clearly show Lafai alter his direction to block Garrick but referee Dave Munro refused to call on the bunker.
The NRL last night admitted the decision was wrong.
It denied Cherry-evans a shot at goal that have could levelled the scores and pushed pears to be only a couple of weeks from returning from a groin injury he picked up during the club’s preseason training.
Feldt led the club in the try-scoring department in 2018 with 14 tries and remains on contract with the club until the end of next season.
While he was impressed with his side’s ability to grind out the win across the Tasman, Green admitted it would be good to see the duo return in Cowboys colours.
“They are experienced guys, they are great players and they have played in some big games,” he said. “We would welcome them back.
“We had Bolts and Juzzie back in the side last week, and it all helps. It the match into extra time. Fulton has claimed the refereeing standard at times this year had been no better than that in junior rugby league.
“It was just diabolical. It was a game-changer. The on-field referees should have referred it to the bunker.
“That was the automatic thing to do. That one decision at the end of the match determined who won and lost the match,” Fulton said. all adds to the depth.” Feldt’s return could prove timely for the Cowboys after makeshift wingers Justin O’neill and Ben Hampton struggled defensively against the sizeable Warriors duo of Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu’a.
It was a mixed performance from the veteran O’neill who had returned to the top grade for the injured Nene Macdonald.
The 162-game veteran was caught out of position in defence early in the game, which led to the Warriors’ first try through Maumalo.
But he rectified the mistake when he swooped on a Morgan grubber to score the Cowboys go-ahead try late in the second half.
“If this happened during the course of the game – and not at the end when full-time was just about to sound - they would have sent it to the bunker.
“There were a series of protocols that had to be adhered to. One, was there an escort? Yes there was there. Was it an illegal play by Lafai? Yes it was. If in doubt, send it to the bunker. That’s as simple as it is.
“The way Cherry-evans has been kicking it would probably have taken it to golden point. Reuben Garrick is six foot, six inches.
“Maybe it’s time we look at giving coaches the option of having a challenge, maybe three a game. If unsuccessful, they would lose a challenge.”
NRL head of football Graham Annesley conceded Munro’s decision was incorrect.
“I spoke to ( NRL referee’s coach) Bernard Sutton after