NRL head of football Graham Annesley has gone on the front foot to defend match officials copping criticism after a contentious penalty try was awarded against the Raiders last weekend.
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In his Monday briefing, Annesley was unimpressed by the continued attacks on referees in the NRL and put the responsibility on players to follow the rules as he addressed controversial incidents in round 12 - mainly hip drops and penalty tries.
Roosters playmaker Luke Keary was awarded a penalty try in Easts' big win over the Raiders on Saturday for contact from Canberra lock Morgan Smithies as he chased a ball in goal, and couldn't cleanly ground it.
Though the penalty try didn't change what became a 44-16 loss for the Raiders, the NRL bunker's decision baffled commentators during the game.
However, Annesley declared the decision was correct and "perfectly fair" considering the video of Smithies with his "arm wrapped around Keary's bicep".
"I think it's perfectly fair to say that the bunker has exercised their judgement... if [Keary] had not been checked he would have scored the try," Annesley said.
![Luke Keary was awarded a penalty try against the Raiders. Picture NRL Luke Keary was awarded a penalty try against the Raiders. Picture NRL](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/e230461f-e60a-4969-87f9-8e969715fa77.png/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"The referees and bunker get criticised for these decisions but these need not happen in the first place.
"If the player does not try to interfere, there is no decision for the referee or bunker to make.
"Don't interfere with them. If they haven't got the ball you can't tackle, you can't touch them.
"I know that's easier said that done in the heat of battle, but you can't blame the match officials for arriving to decisions like this when they're only responding to the actions of players that have breached the rules."
On whether Keary would have definitely scored a try after Smithies' contact, Annesley said "we'll never know", but he had no doubt the Roosters star was made to change his run, and forced to adjust how the ball was grounded.
Earlier in the briefing, Annesley also responded to confusion over North Queensland's Valentine Holmes being sin-binned, and put on report in a game for a hip drop only to escape with a grade one charge and a fine rather than suspension.
The Holmes incident was very similar to the hip drop tackle that led to Canberra prop Josh Papali'i's one-game ban for round 12.
![Graham Annesley explains the Keary penalty try. Picture NRL Graham Annesley explains the Keary penalty try. Picture NRL](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/22239348-14af-4ff5-85e4-ae218161ee92.png/r23_0_910_499_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Last Monday Annesley said although an "unusual" hip drop example because Papali'i didn't directly fall onto Viliame Kikau's leg, the weight of the front-rower onto teammate Kaeo Weekes then onto the Bulldogs star was what deemed it a hip drop, and a grade two charge.
In Holmes' case on the weekend, the Cowboys and Maroons big-name did make direct contact with the legs of his opposition, but Annesley said there was an important "mitigating factor" - North Queensland half Tom Dearden.
"Tom Dearden coming across to make the tackle, he comes down on top of Val Holmes which adds to the impact," Annesley explained.
"The impact of Tom Dearden is significant in this. This is a dangerous tackle with a dangerous outcome but there are mitigating factors."