The Bulldogs have sensationally been awarded a penalty try in the final minutes of their loss to the Raiders in the first match of the NRL’s Magic Round.
With three minutes remaining and trailing 34-24, Bulldogs fullback Hayze Perham was taken out without the ball by Raiders forward Ata Mariota two metres out from Canberra’s goal line.
While clearly a penalty, the Bunker determined that Perham would have scored had he not been tackled.
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“There is drama here. We have a grandstand finish here in game 1 of Magic Round,” Warren Smith said on Fox League.
“He (Mariota) makes contact with Hayze Perham, who in the opinion of the video referee, would have scored if not contacted with.”
Matt Burton added the two points to make the score 34-30 but the Raiders were able to hold on and secure the win, their fourth in a row.
Adding to the drama was that the Raiders had a try disallowed a minute earlier which would have iced the game, after a ball that ricocheted of Jack Wighton’s head was ruled to have been lost forward.
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Winger Xavier Savage scooped up the lost ball and ran 50 metres to score but referee Chris Sutton quickly ruled it no try.
“Raiders are blowing up deluxe … It’s hit him straight on the forehead,” Warren Smith said.
“That’s an awful call against the Raiders and Jack Wighton.”
“What a 60 seconds it’s been,” Smith said after the Perham penalty try.
