Kearney tells the NRL to get rid of ball-stripping rule
- Author
- Timestamp
Warriors coach Stephen Kearney said the NRL might as well go back to the old ball-stripping rule since they seem to be having difficulty deciding on the new interpretation.
The rule changed ahead of the 2018 season allowing more than one defender in the tackle as long as there is only one player involved in the actual one-on-one strip.
In the Warriors' 24-22 loss to Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday, five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita wrestled the ball free from his Eels opposite Dylan Brown, while Warriors forward Adam Blair left the tackle and spread his arms out wide to show he had no further contact.
But referees blew a penalty against Harris-Tavita and the Eels scored off the next set through Maika Sivo.
"With the strip rule, if they can't adjudicate on it properly then go back to normal – just leave it alone," a frustrated Kearney said.
"If they can't get it right – and it was pretty comprehensive today that they couldn't – then just leave it as it was.
"If you can't rule on it or can't make a decision on it, then I want to say 'Just piss it off'.
Match: Eels v Warriors
Round 19 -
home Team
Eels
6th Position
away Team
Warriors
12th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
"I'm not saying that was the turning point but when it's an 8-1 penalty count it's just plus, plus, plus. It makes the job really hard.
"Chanel has taken the ball and Blairy has his hands in the air … and they [Eels] score off the back of that. Piss the rule off if you can't get it right."
It wasn't the only source of angst for Kearney. With the game in the balance as the Eels only had a two-point lead (24-22) and five minutes left on the clock, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck danced his way through defenders in the 77th minute and sent a one-handed flick pass out to Gerard Beale.
Match Highlights: Eels v Warriors
The line was open, Beale crossed but the touch judge ruled a forward pass.
Kearney said NRL officials called him last week to say two of Cronulla's tries in the Warriors' 19-18 win at Mt Smart Stadium were "no tries" due to forward passes not picked up.
"Again, they jump all over Roger's play. The inconsistency ... and you can tell I'm pretty frustrated with it all," Kearney said.
"In the back of my mind I thought it's going to come down to costing teams and clubs 'situations'.
"There'll be some decisions that cost clubs in the next few weeks given that it's a very tight competition in and around the fringe of the eight, and inside the eight."
Kearney said he felt his team could definitely be better in some areas – the penalty count was 9-2 in the Eels' favour.
The loss – the Warriors' 10th for the year – leaves them in 11th spot but still very much alive in the finals race. They are only one win from the top eight.
