Irate Manly coach Anthony Seibold has unloaded on the NRL after the Warriors ended the Sea Eagles’ finals hopes in a controversial finish to the two sides round-25 cliffhanger in Auckland.
Warriors second-rower Marata Niukore ran away for a late match-winner in a rollercoaster 29-22 victory on Friday night.
But Seibold was left fuming about his side not receiving a penalty moments before after Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad tackled Manly’s No.1 Reuben Garrick in the air.
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Garrick was clearly hurt after landing heavily on his back in the ugly incident.
But there was no penalty awarded because Garrick leapt high to try to retrieve a bouncing ball after Sea Eagles captain Daly Cherry-Evans’ field goal attempt was charged down.
“It was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. That’s a penalty every day of the week,” Seibold said.
“The rule says it’s not because the ball bounced, or it wasn’t a kick, but how many times do we pull a tackle up for a slight crusher, give a penalty?
“Or someone slipping up from the chest to the jaw and it’s a penalty?
“Like fair dinkum, let’s be serious. We go two points up with six minutes to go there.
“(Instead), they get the ball back, Reuben can’t run. We make a poor defensive error but our fullback can’t run and we’re saying it’s not a dangerous tackle.
“It was a dangerous tackle. He was injured. He couldn’t finish the game.
“And it’s our season on the line so I am p***d off about it.”
Seibold was extra livid because Manly were also on the wrong end of a poor miss from officials last week when Penrith, while trailing the Sea Eagles 12-6, scored a try on the stroke of halftime after a clear knock on from Panthers back-rower Liam Martin.
Penrith went on to win 24-12 to leave Seibold’s side walking the finals tightrope.
“It’s two weeks in a row that we got dud decisions,” Seibold said.
“I’ll get a phone call from (NRL officiating liaison officer) Dave Fairleigh or somebody tomorrow from the NRL and they’ll apologise and say that’s the correct decision or it wasn’t a dangerous tackle.
“Our CEO will cop a call about it from (NRL head of football) Graham Annesley and Graham will come out with the video on Monday and they’ll go through the rigmarole of it but that is a dead-set penalty.
“Two weeks in a row. Two weeks in a row against top-four teams, and you need a bounce of the ball or you need a call to go your way.
“I (usually) bite my tongue. I’m not a coach who comes out and has a whinge but I’m sick of it.”
Cherry-Evans could only shake his head in agreeance as his coach furiously vented his frustrations.
“I think we all understand the rule. The rule is not in contention here,” Cherry-Evans said.
“It’s the dangerous position. If that’s not a dangerous position, I don’t know what is.”
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