When we were awarded the Penalty Try in the GF I thought it was the right decision. Gould, who I know was biased, kept on making the comment that you couldn't be sure he would have grounded it. This is a statement I have heard over and over again when penalty try possibles of the past were disallowed. IF the requirement to award a penalty try was that you had to be sure that he would have scored was the measure then surely no penalty try would ever be awarded. The measure should be on "the balance of probabilities" or "that a try was likely to be scored." Does anyone know what the actual wording is for a penalty try to be awarded.
TBH Ralphie, I don't think Jamie would have scored. If you have a look at the bounce of the ball, it bounces away from Jamie and I don't think he would have gotten to it. Correct decision would have been penalty and 10 in the bin imo. I agree with you though re balance of probabilities.
While happy we got the penalty try if I were the ref I would have give4n us a penalty and placed the rooster in the bin for 10 mins. Who knows we could have scored twice then while they were short-handed.
Wording simply states that it can be awarded if the officials believe that a try would have been scored, had the infringement not occured. No mention about '99%' certainty or all that other garbage people based on assuming the decision was wrong. [hr] Lyon is run off the line of the ball by the tackler forcing him forward. It makes it look worse for Jamie's chances, but without the contact you'd back Jamie to adjust accordingly to get low and dive the final two metres to ground it.
IMO Lyon should have to have made an attempt to grab the ball for a penalty try to be considered. He didn't. Instead, he threw his hands in the air when the ball was on the ground and that makes me think a penalty to Manly and 10 in the bin for Aubo was the way to go. Had he attempted to pick the ball up, he may have even scored a try, let alone a penalty try.
It was most certainly the correct decision and I also agree with your balance of probabilities. From the NRL Rule Book: Section 6 Penalty try (d) the Referee may award a penalty try if, in his opinion, a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team. A penalty try is awarded between the goal posts irrespective of where the offence occurred.
Agreed MM - the JWH headbutt on Horo springs to mind. or the SBW forward pass, or the Pearce off strip, or just referees incompetence - all penalty tries to us.
