A frustrated Trent Robinson is questioning why Melbourne were awarded a controversial try in the Sydney Roosters' 18-12 loss to the Storm.
Back-rower Eli Katoa barged his way over the Roosters' line midway through the first half at Sydney Football Stadium on Thursday night.
But as he fended off Michael Jennings and Luke Keary to ground the ball, replays appeared to show Jennings had been driven off the tackle by Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Taking opposition players out of a tackle is illegal.
But despite replays and several reviews from the bunker, the try was awarded and proved decisive in a six-point win.
Robinson was visibly angry when cameras panned to him in the box and that theme continued in his post-match press conference.
"It's really clear, they (the NRL) came out at the end of the year and if you lend weight to a tackler in a stationary or forward momentum, then it'll be stopped," Robinson said.
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"Or if it's in a try it's going to be a penalty.
"It's really quite simple, he (Asofa-Solomona) runs in from distance, touches his player and Jenko (Jennings) and his player scores.
"Did he lend weight to the play? Yes he did."
Robinson was also left annoyed by the failure of referee Ashley Klein during the build-up to Xavier Coates' match-winning try.
Melbourne centre Reimis Smith appeared to disrupt the Roosters' hopes of fielding the ball.
It was telling in a game — arguably the worst of the season thus far, marred by 22 errors and 17 penalties — that all five tries came from final-tackle play kicks.
Melbourne drew first blood 13 minutes into the game when Jahrome Hughes sent up a kick that winger Will Warbrick was able to bat back into the arms of Katoa.
The Storm back-rower found Hughes racing onto the ball, the halfback evading James Tedesco and Daniel Tupou to score the opening try of the night.
Jennings hit back for the Roosters by diving on a loose ball in the in-goal before Katoa restored Melbourne's six-point lead with his controversial try.
Leading 12-6 at halftime, Melbourne kept hammering but couldn't find a way through and their hunt to open up a gap was compounded by Cameron Munster being sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
Munster returned but eventually the Storm's resolute defence cracked as rugby union-bound Joey Manu crossed with 10 minutes left.
Coates, however, was able to continue his trend of scoring at the death, barging his way over to give the visitors the victory.
Craig Bellamy's side have now beaten the Roosters in nine of their last 10 attempts and move up to first.
"It looked like we were taking the easy options a little bit too much, we just had to have a little bit more patience," Bellamy said.
And that'll do us! Hope you enjoyed yourself tonight and you're set for a massive weekend.
Don't forget, we'll be blogging every single NRL game of the season, so tune in tomorrow and I'll take you through Dragons-Warriors and Eels-Dolphins.
Have a sick one!
Craig Bellamy says the Storm made plenty of opportunities for themselves but couldn't finish it off, mainly because they didn't have the patience.
"It looked like we were taking the easy options a little bit. Not in defence, that was really strong," Bellamy said.
"We just had to show a little more patience."
He says the Munster sin-bin was disappointing because it made it hard for the rest of the team, but he was proud of how the side responded.
Bellamy praises Asofa-Solomona's return, says the Storm were looking for him to improve his defensive actions during his time in reserve grade and he thought he did that tonight.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson won't blame the errors and penalties for his side's loss, but he isn't happy about the shove for the Katoa try.
"I don't think that was the issue, to be honest. I felt like the rhythm of the game was there to be had," Robinson said.
"It's really clear. The rules are really clear. They came out at the end of the year and if you lend weigh to a runner in a tryscoring position it's a penalty.
"Did he lend weight to the play? Yes, he did. It's not that hard, it was really clear."
He also thinks Watson was taken out by a disruptor for the final Coates try.
"It's really simple, the rules. Both of them were really clear. There's been too many of those decisions.
"It hasn't been good enough. It was really simple, these decisions."
Tedesco agrees, he thinks there's been plenty of calls the NRL has apologised for on Mondays that have hurt the Roosters in matches this season.
Robinson says his team needed to play with better combinations in attack. Tedesco says their shape wasn't good enough.
Here's all the important action from tonight ICYMI.
Well, the Roosters won't get a chance at an equaliser because JWH has given away a penalty and the Storm can run the clock out. Not the prettiest win, but they all count. Big boos from the crowd at fulltime, they're not happy with the performance of referee Ash Klein in that one.
The Roosters bomb Papenhuyzen but the Storm fullback makes a good grab to keep possesion. Easts might only get one more set after this.
Tedesco goes on report for tripping Papenhuyzen on a kick return. Papenhuyzen nearly slices through down the right, then Suaalii loses a contest for the ball and Collins knocks on a kick. Melbourne get another set.
The Storm go high for Coates, Manu knocks it on, Blore taps it back to Grant, he grubbers out to Coates who props back inside and pushes past JWH, Watson and Radley to slam it down! Strong finish from the Storm winger to break the deadlock! Meaney converts and it's a six-point ballgame.
Suaalii flies high for a Keary kick, he taps it back to Manu and the departing Rooster scores in the corner! At last, someone lands a blow in the second half! Great effort from Suaalii to get up there over Coates, who is no slouch in the air himself. Pressure kick now for the young fella, right on the sideline, on the bad side for a right-footer.....but he nails it! We're all level!
Yet another penalty to the Storm, geez this has been a messy affair, and they'll go back on the attack. Honestly, one more try could be enough to get them home.
But they won't get it here, they've been done for an obstruction. Roosters hang on.
Manu half gets through, offloads to Radley and he's over...or he would be, if the pass wasn't forward. The Storm work it out and they catch the Roosters offside.
Chan makes a bust in the middle and Katoa almost goes over on the right edge, but the Roosters manage to hold on.
Hughes puts a kick into the in-goal and it goes dead, Melbourne reckoned he was taken off the ball and are complaining about it as Tedesco takes the quick tap. Munster gets him, he's well offside, and it's a penalty and a sin-bin! Munster has to go! A controversial moment in this match!
Asofa-Solomona gets penalised for a cannonball tackle and the Roosters will get a chance to level. Smith knocks down a pass and they'll get another set.....no they won't, because Tedesco has dropped it.
May loses the ball as he's trying to offload and Asofa-Solomona knocks it on as he tries to gather it in. First knock-on Roosters, but they'll challenge....but they won't get the call. Neither team has their challenge.
Roosters kick off running left to right.
The Roosters drive Asofa-Solomona back into the in-goal, that takes some doing, and they force the drop out. But on the next set Keary's kick goes dead.
A penalty in the ruck puts Melbourne back on the attack until a strong tackle from May forces an error from Macdonald. Interesting half....feels like this game still has a couple of gears to go through.
Munster puts a kick across and Katoa shows great hands to go up, take the ball and push through May, Jennings and Keary to get it down! Terrific effort from the big man - there's a question-mark on the try, Asofa-Solomona looks to have given Katoa a shove, but the refs clear it. Roosters coach Trent Robinson is furious about it, but the try stands. Meaney converts and the Storm are up 12-6.
Hughes links with Papenhuyzen beautifully, he's through and has Grant in support but he goes for a looooong pass for Munser, too long, and Watson intercepts it.
The Roosters go on the attack themselves now, Katoa hits Keary with a brutal shot and the halfback is winded. He's back up and about before long, but a little kick from the Tricolours doesn't go anywhere, Melbourne pick it up and a ruck penalty puts them on the attack again.
Munster forces a Tedesco error and Jennings gives away a penalty for tackling off the ball. Storm on the attack. Meaney almost gets through on a sweep but he's shut down in a good tackle from Watson. Melbourne go for the power play on the last but Katoa can't crash his way over. The Roosters hang on again.
The Roosters go across the field with a bomb, neither Warbrick nor Tupou can come down with it cleanly, Meaney can't pick it up and Jennings dives on the loose ball to score. The Roosters have struck back. Suaalii converts and we're back level.
Hi Nick, I'll go along with your prediction with a Storm field goal thrown in. I'd like to see the Roosters get up, but not tonight...
- Mike
Good to see you again Mike! Always love a field goal.
- Nick Campton
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