The Parramatta Eels were awarded a controversial penalty try in Sunday afternoon’s clash with the Dragons in a decision that left the commentators flabbergasted.
Parramatta got on the board when St George Illawarra’s Jaydn Su’A was penalised for grabbing Jonah Pezet a few metres short of the tryline when the Eels young gun didn’t have the ball.
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Pezet had got through the line and passed to Kitione Kautoga, who got his arms free to give an offload back in Pezet’s direction.
But Pezet was pulled back by Su’A as he tried to catch the ball — the Bunker reviewed the play and deemed no defenders would have stopped Pezet scoring.
Watch the controversial penalty try call in the video above
It was a bold call given Dragons fullback Clint Gutherson was hovering in cover defence and would have likely tackled Pezet and prevented him from scoring.
“They are going to give a penalty try to Jonah Pezet,” Fox League commentator Andrew Voss said.
“By the letter of the law, we do have a degree of subjectivity, but I would say if you threw it to the majority, the majority could say, ‘No he’s not certain to score.’
“Wow, Parramatta the beneficiaries of a penalty try. That is quite incredible. Controversy and rugby league never too far apart.”
Cooper Cronk added: “Jaydn Su’A is all over Jonah Pezet. If he doesn’t touch him…he gets arms around him and he doesn’t score that try.
“Clint Gutherson is coming across as well. I’m sorry but that is not a penalty try. It’s a penalty, maybe a sin bin for grabbing without the ball, but I can’t agree with that.
“Penalty every day of the week but I don’t agree with a penalty try. It wasn’t as if Pezet was running onto the ball either.”
Mitchell Moses converted from directly in front to give Parramatta a 6-0 lead, before the Dragons scored minutes later through Luciano Leilua.
Parramatta led 18-14 at halftime and claimed a 30-20 win when Josh Addo-Carr ran 70m to score on the back of a Dragons error.
The Eels are now 2-1 to start the season.
