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Cowboys coach Todd Payten had a lot to smile about after his side’s 36-16 victory over the Newcastle Knights.
But while Payten was happy with his team’s efforts, he was less than impressed with the Bunker’s lack of consistency after a controversial call in the second half.
Jason Taumalolo’s try in the 65th minute was overturned after Jeremiah Nanai collided with Knights’ forward Lachlan Fitzgibbon, with it ruled an obstruction.
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That did not go down well with Michael Ennis, who believed Fitzgibbon initiated the contact.
“Well that’s Lachlan Fitzgibbon coming in, that’s a defensive read,” Fox League’s Ennis pointed out.
“You can see in the eyes of Fitzgibbon he was coming in to make the stop, he came out of the line.”
Payten shared a similar view.
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“Really disappointed it was taken off us. It’s just consistently ruled too inconsistent,” Payten said.
“The language that the Bunker used was also confusing. To say that Jeremiah initiated contact and I think it was Fitzgibbon that jammed on outside in, and made good contact with his inside shoulder and deviated three four metres off the line.
“That’s why I’m so confused and it’s just different from game to game and that’s what I don’t like.”
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Payten’s criticism of the bunker isn’t a foreign opinion within the NRL fraternity. R
aiders coach Ricky Stuart was extremely vocal after his side’s loss to the Warriors in Round 8, believing the bunker had a part to play in his side’s loss.
“I believe the bunker is damaging our game, I don’t believe we do need the bunker because they can’t get it right,” Stuart said.
“I really believe the bunker is getting it so wrong we need to have the bunker only involved in contentious tries.”
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