Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart backed the NRL bunker's controversial decision to deny Parramatta Eels winger Maika Sivo a match-winning try in the dying seconds.
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He dismissed suggestions Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana should have been penalised for the way he bundled Sivo into touch - his hip crashing into the Fijian flyer as he tried to get the ball down in the corner in the 12-10 Green Machine victory on the Gold Coast on Thursday night.
Sivo was on the end of an overlap and looked certain to score before Rapana and young winger Harley Smith-Shields forced him into touch.
The call could easily have gone against the Raiders, but it would've been cruel given the bunker missed an offside in the Eels' first try to get them back into the game.
"It did [have me on the edge of my seat] when they kept looking at it," Stuart said.
"There was no way it was a foul. He hit him with his hip, upper thigh.
"Just for Rapa - he ran over [200 metres] - and just for Rapa to be there was an extraordinary play with Harley Smith-Shields - it was his third game.
"It was a tough game of football. Real tough."
Stuart didn't want to single anybody out after the game, given the number of brilliant individual Raiders efforts.
Joe Tapine (140m, 43 tackles) was immense in the absence of Josh Papalii (concussion), who failed a head injury assessment after just eight minutes of game time.
Plus there were injury concerns over Ryan Sutton (ribs).
Hudson Young was similarly brilliant with 53 tackles and a deft soccer in goal that led to a repeat set and Canberra's first try.
But none shone more than Rapana.
He scored a try, made the match-winning, try-saving tackle, ran for 212m and made 12 tackle busts.
Not bad for the Raiders' fifth-choice fullback, who's also their leading try scorer for the season.
"I didn't want to single anybody out, but I did single Rapa out in the changerooms there tonight," Stuart said.
"He's loved by all the boys and that's why. Outside being a good person, a good bloke, he just rips in on the field and they love playing with him."
Stuart said efforts like what his players produced against the fourth-placed Eels was the reason why he got frustrated when they lose.
Because he knows what they're capable of.
It was an effort of a team good enough to play finals footy.
"We've turned a corner, but it's not through a fluke - it's through hard work. They're a very persistent bunch," Stuart said.
"This time of the year we need to up the intensity in regards to the play-offs.
"We believe we'll be in the play-offs. We believe we're good enough to be in the play-offs. And we want to be the team that's here the longest, in regards to this hub.
"When you see that out there tonight you can probably believe me.
"I know what's underneath the jumper. And any boy that wants to be a Raider you need to have that grit and determination."