Cooper Cronk and Phil Gould have both been left stunned after Deine Mariner’s effort was deemed to have been held up in Samoa’s loss to New Zealand with the winger claiming he scored the try. Samoa went into the second-half of their Pacific Championships final against New Zealand with a 14-6 lead.
However, it could have been more. Broncos winger Mariner was confident he had scored a try after going over just before the siren. But Ashley Klein sent the decision up to the Bunker as no try. He had deemed Mariner’s own hand was underneath the ball and he was held up before he could get it down.
Cooper Cronk and Phil Gould (pictured left) have both been left stunned after Deine Mariner’s effort (pictured right) was deemed to have been held up in Samoa’s loss to New Zealand. (Images: Getty Images)
The Bunker felt it couldn’t find an angle to overrule the on-field decision and the try was denied. But this didn’t sit well with everyone. Melbourne Storm great Cronk felt it was a very tough call against Samoa having suggested a blade of grass was on the ball.
“It’s got to be a try, but the rules states the ball has got to get to the ground. I think there was a blade of grass that touched the ball there…I think he gets there, but the fact the try went up as a no try, the Bunker couldn’t overturn it,” Cronk said on Fox Sports.
“But something has got to give…that is Mariner’s hand with the ball…I think that is a try everyday of the week.”
Speaking on Channel Nine, Gould felt it would be very hard to deny Mariner a try with his arm on the line. He also suggested in his view, if the ball lands on your own arm over the line it should also be deemed a try. “That’s all one movement…that looked like it. I think at the last minute the ball touches the ground,” Gould said.
“His own hand is under it. I’ve always thought if it lands on your own hand it’s a try. It should be, that’s rather pedantic. I think at the last minute, the white ball touches the white line.” But both Cronk and Gould were left stunned with the try disallowed.
Deine Mariner claims try amid controversy
Speaking after the game, Mariner was confident he had got the ball over the line. But the back felt the no try shouldn’t have defied the game with his team failing to turn up in the final 40.
“I knew I scored it, but I just had to get on with it and move on,” the Brisbane Broncos winger said. “I don’t know how your arm can be over the try line but the ball doesn’t touch the ground. I felt it and I tried to celebrate, but I was still held down. It was a ‘what if’ (moment) but we still had a lead going into halftime. So whether I scored or not, we still had a full half to play footy.”
Deine Mariner (pictured) was denied a try late in the first-half.
Speaking after the game, Samoa coach Ben Gardiner was still happy to see the national side make progression as a team during the Pacific Championships heading into the 2026 World Cup. “I thought we made some good steps in some important areas,” coach Gardiner said.
“Our mental resolve was really good in the first game and the second game … it could have been a little bit better. In big matches it’s not just about the footy, it’s also about the mental game and making sure you’re also mentally in the moment in the right moments. That’s something we can definitely learn from for next year.”