Trent Robinson has unleashed a scathing assessment of the match officials following the Sydney Roosters 18-12 loss to the Melbourne Storm last night.
Robinson was visibly angry post-game, believing a crucial missed decision which he labelled "really clear" should have denied the Storm a try in the 30th minute.
The incident in question saw second rower Eliesa Katoa catch a bomb on the Roosters’ try line and muscle his way over to score with Robinson believing Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona assisted in the play by pushing Katoa forward, which is an illegal act.
However, contrary to Robinson, journalist Michael Carayannis believes the referees were correct.
“I’m going to argue that’s not an assist,” Carayannis told SEN Breakfast with Vossy & Brandy.
“The key thing is… it’s not an automatic penalty in a try scoring situation. It’s whether that led to a try of influences a try so I’m going to say the bunker got that one right.”
The NRL amended the rule at the start of the season, with the exact wording stating that ‘A player may not lend weight to gain momentum or impede a defender from making a tackle… if a player lending weight assists in the scoring of a try, a penalty will be awarded’.
Carayannis did believe however, the Roosters were lucky themselves that captain James Tedesco wasn’t sin binned for a trip on Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen. Tedesco was placed on report for the trip.
“Particularly when it’s blatant like James Tedesco’s was, I think that’s definitely a sin binnable offence,” Carayannis said.
“I’m comfortable that they’re not direct send offs like they used to be.”
Following their loss, the Roosters now have a 3-4 record going into Round 8 where they’ll play their traditional ANZAC day game against the St George-Illawarra Dragons.
It is yet to be seen if Robinson will be sanctioned for his post-match comments, but Tedesco will only face a fine after being handed a Grade 1 Dangerous Contact charge by the Match Review Committee.