‘We get 99% of decisions right’

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo believes it was “ridiculous” for Wayne Bennett to suggest scrapping the bunker review system after the Dolphins coach lashed a no-try call in the top-eight shootout with Newcastle.

Bennett said he feared for finals-bound teams after the bunker ruled Dolphins second-rower Connelly Lemuelu impacted the outside shoulder of Knights forward Brodie Jones and prevented him from reaching Trai Fuller en route to the tryline on Sunday.

Bennett felt Jones had actually been impeded by Newcastle teammate Jack Cogger, who made the defensive decision to tackle Lemuelu and blocked Jones in the process.

Awarded on-field and then rescinded by the bunker, Fuller’s try would have opened the scoring for the Dolphins, who instead lost 14-6 and forfeited the last top-eight spot to the Knights.

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Abdo understood Bennett’s frustrations but confirmed the bunker was here to stay.

“I get how much is at stake and I get the passion of the players and the fans and coaches,” he said at Monday’s finals series launch in Sydney.

“All I’ll say is I think it’s ridiculous to consider a sport not using technology to make decisions … 99 per cent of the time, they (the bunker officials) get it right.

“In the off-season we’ll stop, take a breath, think about process, think about technology and think about the rules to try and make sure that we’re getting better and that we’re eking out any issues that we have.

“But talk of saying that the bunker itself is no value, I don’t think that’s right.”

Frustrations  around obstruction calls often stem from perceived inconsistencies around referees’ interpretations of the rule.

Parramatta’s interim coach Trent Barrett was ropeable when match officials opted not to penalise a would-be obstruction ahead of a try in the Eels’ 36-34 loss to Penrith last month.

The NRL rule book states “the referee or review officials can determine the significance of contact initiated by the ‘block’ or ‘flat’ runner(s) … in impeding a defender’s involvement in a try scoring play”, with the contact occurring far from the tryline in Parramatta’s case.

Regardless, Abdo said the onus was always on players to ensure they did not illegally impact defenders.

“You’re going to get calls that are subjective,” he said.

“Obstruction is where we have guidelines but it is ultimately a call that needs to be made. If you have lead runners take out players, you run the risk of that being called back and that being penalised.”

Bennett called the bunker’s decision-making process “just crazy” and warned “someone else is going to pay the price for it” during the finals.

But Abdo indicated the Dolphins foundation coach, who rejoins South Sydney next season, would not be sanctioned by the NRL for his comments.

“He hasn’t called into account the integrity of any of the officials. I don’t have an issue with him expressing his views,” Abdo said.

“I don’t necessarily agree with him but that’s his right.

“Wayne is one of the all-time coaches of our game. He’s just been inducted into the Hall of Fame, he’s entitled to his opinion.”

© AAP