Both sets of fans were left fuming on Friday night after two disruptor decisions swayed the momentum in the Cowboys’ 35-31 win over the Brisbane Broncos. This comes as Patrick Carrigan could miss up to two weeks of footy after being slapped with a ban adding to Blake Mozer’s broken jaw on Friday night.
The Cowboys won their fourth straight game in a row after Scott Drinkwater and Jaxon Purdue proved to be electric for the Cowboys in a thrilling contest. However, disruptor calls going against both teams have caught the ire of all NRL fans.
Cowboys and Broncos fans were fuming over two disruptor decisions on Friday as Patrick Carrigan (pictured left) has been slapped with a two game ban by the MRC. (Images: Getty Images/Channel Nine)
The first one taking place in the second-half was divisive with Drinkwater penalised for jumping into the contest. Drinkwater jumped up in a 50/50 aerial duel before crashing into Josiah Karapani.
While it was ruled a knock-on and no try, the bunker referee deemed Drinkwater stopped competing for the ball and took Karapani out. This didn’t sit well with fans who felt Drinkwater just missed the ball and lost the contest. Drinkwater momentarily took his eye off the ball, which resulted in the penalty.
NRL legend Johnathan Thurston felt Drinkwater might have just been protecting himself in the air having genuinely gone for the ball. The Cowboys had lost momentum after two tough calls against them considering the Broncos scored off a potential forward pass a few moments earlier. But Broncos fans felt they were dudded when Gehamat Shibasaki was ruled to have interfered Tom Chester minutes later.
Chester dropped a high-ball, but the play was then brought back because Shibasaki jumped up and then withdrew his attempt. Shibasaki hardly made contact with Chester, but the referees deemed Shibasaki had impacted play as he pulled out of the contest. Both calls left fans fuming with the inconsistency surrounding the rule’s interpretation an issue.
The disruptor rule has caused division within the game with many feeling it is being too heavily enforced. The NRL tweaked the rule this year that all players must be competing for the ball with two hands. But neither sets of fans were happy on Friday night.
Michael Maguire fuming over disruptor call
Speaking on the call that went against the Broncos and Shibasaki, Maguire was frustrated. Maguire called for consistency if they are going to penalise it. “I’ve got to say, I’ve got no idea on that, it’s bizarre,” Maguire said.
“There was one in the corner over there, where they were doing exactly the same thing, so they’re either going to get consistency around it or don’t touch it because as the outside backs, we practice to catch the ball.
“That is part of what you do and what I saw with Gehamat going up there, he wasn’t near the body, or near Chester when he was catching it. He was actually further away from him, so I just can’t believe that ruling it’s bizarre. But if they’re going to go down that path, well make sure there is consistency and you guys can talk about that one.”
Gehamat Shibasaki’s disruptor call against him frustrated Michael Maguire. (Images: Channel Nine)
Patrick Carrigan facing two game ban
Meanwhile, leader Carrigan is facing a two-game ban after his high-shot on Chester. Carrigan was sent to the bin for the tackle, which saw him come in over the top. The Match Review Committee hit Carrigan with the two game ban, which he can challenge.
But it sounds like the Broncos could consider challenging the decision at the NRL judiciary with Maguire feeling it wasn’t a high-shot. “It was chest, that’s how I saw it,” Maguire said. “I’ll go back and have a look at it, but it’s an interesting one that one because I felt it was just a really good chest tackle.”
Patrick Carrigan (pictured) and the Broncos will have to decide if they want to fight the ban handed to the forward.
(Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images)