Controversial bunker penalty try raises more than just eyebrows

If scores had've ended up closer it could've become the next episode of that infamous grand final six-again call.

The bunker's decision to award a penalty try to Luke Keary for minimal contact from Raiders lock Morgan Smithies has set a new bar for penalty tries.

Somehow the always-beleaguered bunker ruled that Smithies' slight touch of Keary had definitely stopped him from scoring a try.

That's despite Keary getting to the ball all on his lonesome with nothing left to do but grab the ball and put it down - something he couldn't do.

But the bunker decided a brush was enough to definitely stop the Roosters five-eighth from scoring.

It's another chapter in strange decisions in Raiders-Roosters contests, with the 2019 grand final between the teams decided by a refereeing error - where they infamously called six-again for the Green Machine before somehow changing their minds.

Penrith great Greg Alexander certainly didn't think it should've been a penalty try.

"I don't think it did [effect him] ... barely grazes him," he said on the Fox Sports coverage.

Tigers legend Steve Roach agreed.

"And it was a minimal touch too. It didn't knock him off balance. He doesn't even grab him," Roach said.

It certainly didn't impress the 18,049 fans in Canberra Stadium, who gave the officials a raucous send off at half-time.

It's not the first inconsistency the Raiders have been on the wrong end of this season, with Josh Papali'i's one-game suspension for a hip-drop tackle another example.

Papali'i was suspended for one game despite the NRL repeatedly saying you had to make contact with the opponent's leg for it to be a hip drop - something Papali'i didn't do.

Admittedly, he did knock teammate Kaeo Weekes' leg into Viliame Kikau, but didn't make contact himself.

There were a lot of similarities between Papali'i's tackle and the one Queensland hopeful Valentine Holmes was charged with on Saturday - although Holmes escaped with a fine, allowing him to be available for State of Origin if Maroons coach Billy Slater picks him.

Papali'i will be back next week to face the Redcliffe Dolphins.

The Raiders shared a special moment in the sheds with Troy Dargan's family.

The Canberra halfback tragically died in a motorcycle accident on Christmas Day while holidaying with his family at the Cook Islands.

His parents were presented with the club's Indigenous jersey with NSW Cup captain Hohepa Puru speaking on behalf of the team.

"You guys being here today makes it special. He's in the forefront of our minds in every tackle, every run," Puru said.

The Raiders Cup side lived up to the promise, defeating the Roosters 36-28 at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.

Troy Dargan snr made the boomerangs that were presented to both the captain's of the NRL game as part of Indigenous Round and he was the Raiders' Viking ambassador for the day - blowing the Viking horn.