Sharks confused by penalty option
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/lo...nfused-by-penalty-option/1902765.aspx?src=rss
Sharks confused by penalty option
BY BRAD FORREST
03 Aug, 2010 02:45 PM
COACH Shane Flanagan described it as the "worst option''... and centre Ben Pomeroy was as confused as anyone.
"It is just a shame we didn't get a penalty out of that incident, if not a try,'' Pomeroy said.
Referee Jason Robinson's decision to instead penalise Pomeroy, after he was pushed by a fourth Wests Tigers' tackler and "scored'' a try, is as puzzling a decision as any that have come up this year.
The incident came late in Saturday night's game at Leichhardt Oval, which was certainly in the balance.
A try would have given the Sharks a win they've been looking for. Instead, the Tigers hung on for a 24-22 victory.
Robinson appeared to badly err, first by calling ``held'' despite the fact Pomeroy was still moving in a gang-tackle, before he was then propelled a second time towards the line where he placed the ball on the line.
Robinson could have gone to the video referee for a ruling, which should have seen the Tigers at least penalised for the extra man in the tackle after the "held'' ruling.
He instead penalised Pomeroy for "reaching out'' after he'd ruled "held''.
"It was probably the fifth option and the one I would never have expected the referee to make,'' Flanagan said yesterday.
"We should have at least got a penalty, rather than the other way around.
"[Until then] he hadn't called held, early, all game. He let players wrestle and push and shove and get players to the ground ... then all of a sudden a bloke's still moving and he's called held.''
"Wests Tigers have pushed him over the line.''
Skipper Trent Barrett, who'd seen other incidents go against them like the Paul Gallen "try'' that wasn't given video referee examination at Toyota Stadium [against the Dragons] was equally confused.
"He was still moving forward, that's what I don't get,'' Barrett said. "How is [he] held when he's still moving forward? If the try gets awarded, we win.''
Pomeroy added that he was "tackled'' in the direction of the tryline. "There was not much I could do about it. I was a bit disappointed with it.''
But at least Pomeroy can continue his resurgence with the Sharks, having successfully undergone skin graft surgery for a hand injury he carried for more than a year.
"I've got my confidence back now, even though I will probably have to keep some wrapping around the hand for the rest of my career,'' he said.
Flanagan was also upset over a no-try ruling to winger Blake Ferguson, who was adjudged to have gone into touch in the 52nd minute as he went to plant the ball down in the corner.
