Blocker review comes too late for Gold Coast

LOOK away Titans fans.

Head of football Graham Annesley admits the NRL may have to review the rules on field-goal blockers in the wake of Sam Walker’s controversial one-pointer that sank the finals hopes of the Gold Coast Titans.

Annesley said the interpretation of the rule was not about to be altered for the finals but conceded he was happy to review it over the offseason.

“We’re not going to be changing the rules just because we’re in the finals series,” he said. “This is a mechanism used by multiple clubs throughout the season.”

The Sydney Roosters halfback slotted the 77th-minute winner at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in a 25-24 thriller on Saturday.

Questions have been raised over the legality of the field goal, with footage showing Roosters forwards Jared Waerea-hargreaves and Victor Radley standing beside the play-the-ball and appearing to impede Titans hooker Mitch Rein from charging down the kick.

The NRL’S interpretation of the rule is: “If two or more players form a wall (side-byside) next to the play-the-ball and don’t allow the opportunity for a defending player to move directly towards the player in possession, the referee will penalise for obstruction.”

During Monday’s NRL football briefing, Annesley argued that Waerea-hargreaves and Radley did not stand “side-by-side”.

“The real issue here is whether those players prevent an opposition player or a defender from moving towards the player in possession,” Annesley said.

“They can do that.

“We just saw Rein got through and was able to put pressure on the kicker.

“I know these are big decisions at critical times and in important games. It would be fair to question that incident if it’s not something that’s been ruled on consistently throughout the season.”

Annesley drew on examples from similar incidents throughout the 2021 season which went unpenalised, such as Daly Cherry-evans’ field goal against the Warriors in

Round 5 and Corey Norman’s one-pointer in Round 16 against the Warriors.

“The real determining factor here is whether those players who take up that position actually physically interfere with any chasers or not,” Annesley said.

“Whether the rule should be addressed or not is a different question. I’m happy that we discuss that at the end of the season but we can’t change interpretations of things that have been happening right throughout the season because we get to the finals series.”