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NRL warns of challenge rorting crackdown

3 minute read

NRL players risk being sinbinned if they deliberately hold the opposition in the ruck to stop play and then use a captain's challenge.

CEO GRAHAM ANNESLEY.
CEO GRAHAM ANNESLEY. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley has issued a fresh edict to players that they risk being sinbinned if they deliberately stop play to use a captain's challenge.

There were two incidents in Parramatta's win over the Gold Coast on Saturday where, after a turnover of possession, Titans players held their Eels counterparts in the ruck and were penalised for slowing play down.

On both occasions the Titans then opted to use their captain's challenge to overturn referee Peter Gough's decision and scored shortly after successfully winning a challenge.

Thankfully for the NRL, the tries did not have a bearing on the match outcome, but Annesley said the challenges should not have been allowed to proceed given the Titans players stopped play by pinning the Eels down.

"I would prefer to think without the bunker intervening that the referees would be clear about what can be challenged or not," Annesley said.

"If I could get one point through to players, it's that your effort will be completely wasted because you won't get the challenge anyway.

"The only thing you could get - and this is at the referee's discretion - is to find yourself in the sin bin.

"I would say to any club that wants to continue with the full complement of players on the field, there's a high risk (of a sin-binning)."

Gough's performance will be under review although Annesley said a determination wouldn't be made on his availability for round six fixtures until Tuesday.

"Those decisions haven't been made yet," he said.

"The referees' performances are assessed today (Monday).

"Then I see a draft list of appointments tomorrow (Tuesday) and (NRL chief executive) Andrew Abdo looks at those. I don't know what the coaching staff will recommend.

"He is unfortunate that he's had two similar incidents where he has handled them consistently, but both wrongly."

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