Nathan Cleary’s second half scuffle with Ezra Mam proved to be a major turning point in the Broncos’ epic come-from-behind victory over Penrith in Sunday’s preliminary final. But the actions of referee Grant Atkins contradict claims the Panthers would have been awarded a penalty for Mam’s late tackle on Cleary if teammate Liam Martin had not run across to escalate the situation as the third man in.
NRL greats Cooper Cronk and Laurie Daley were among those to suggest that Cleary should have been given a penalty after being tackled by Mam in the process of kicking the ball. But Atkins could clearly be seen waving play on after judging that there was nothing illegal or dangerous about Mam’s tackle and he had not attacked the legs of the Penrith kicker.
Referee Grant Atkins (L) could be seen waving play on in vision that contradicts the narrative around the Nathan Cleary flashpoint in Sunday’s prelim defeat to the Broncos. Pic: Nine
League Immortal Andrew Johns agreed on Nine’s coverage that the tackle was fair, and Martin could be seen looking in the official’s direction as he waved play on. The Penrith enforcer still chose to run in and risk being sin-binned for escalating the situation after seeing Mam push Cleary’s head in response to a closed-fisted shove to his face from the Panthers halfback.
But the vision of Atkins initially waving play on has flipped the narrative around that Penrith had a potential penalty of their own reversed because of Martin’s actions. “If that is any other day of the week, that is a penalty from Ezra Mam taking out Nathan Cleary,” Cronk said on Fox League’s coverage. “And then Mam ignites it by shoving Cleary, then this man (Liam Martin) came in as well.”
NSW Origin coach Daley was also adamant that Mam’s tackle should have resulted in a penalty for Penrith. “It was a penalty every day of the week to Nathan,” Daley said on said on Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast.
And veteran league journalist Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield suggested that Martin’s involvement left referee Atkins with little choice but to give Brisbane the penalty. He likened it to Reece Walsh’s headbutt on Hudson Young in week one of the finals, where both players were sent to the sin bin but the Broncos got the penalty because the Raiders forward escalated the drama.
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Referee’s actions contradict Panthers penalty narrative
And Rothfield claimed that if Martin hadn’t got involved on Sunday, the Panthers would have been awarded a crucial penalty, rather than conceding one that ultimately changed the game. “It’s a bit like what we saw in Canberra where Hudson Young was headbutted, sent to the sin bin and the Broncos got the penalty because of the way it was escalated,” Rothfield said.
“However, I am at the firm view that the NRL has to penalise the original offence… I sent you guys a photo which clearly shows Ezra Mam tackling him (Cleary) while he is in the air. That is a no-brainer penalty to Penrith, and if Liam Martin hadn’t run in they would have got that penalty I believe.”
Referee Grant Atkins waved play on after the Ezra Mam tackle on Nathan Cleary that sparked wild scenes in Brisbane’s preliminary final win over Penrith. Pic: AAP
The vision of referee Atkins waving play on paints a very different picture though, and shows just how costly Martin’s indiscretion ended up being. Penrith were leading 14-6 at the time, and the penalty helped the Broncos march down the other end of the field and score moments later, with Xavier Willison’s try giving them renewed hope.
Walsh inexplicably missed the easy conversion but made amends by setting up Deine Mariner’s game-levelling try with an audacious offload. He then handed over the kicking tee to Adam Reynolds and the Brisbane skipper showed nerves of steel to slot the game-clinching conversion that booked Brisbane’s spot in next Sunday’s grand final against the Storm.