As the Bunker Refs, etc have up to 15 different camera angles to make their decision from.
While Commentators (like the dopey 'ex-player' types ) only have one or two angles to replay on.
I would say, that 85% of decisions overall were spot on - it was definitely the Storm player's own arm under the ball to make it NO TRY (Held up) after Panthers exhibited previous successful preventions of like action.
I mean, we could say the Melbourne Storm threw about 16 Forward passes in the game after review too.

League - like Aussie Rules are both EMOTIONALLY ruled Sports here. They can't get it Rule/Structure wise as good and better as Cricket and Rugby Union.
Hell - look at that pathetic League SCRUM! 
Any sport would be embarrassed to have something so STUPID/BIAS as that. 

When you win 3 (straight) out of 4 (straight) GF appearances. The Panthers had 'every right' to win their 4TH straight GF out of 5 straight GF appearances.
A miracle against the mediocrity of NRL Salary Cap system (and AFL draft system) - where basically even the Great White Chokers: the Cronulla Sharks have won a GF!!

The Pink Panthers really did shut every facet of the Melbourne (looked like the N.Queensland Cowboys ) Storm's winning plays down and put on something NEW for the Crowd and Audiences like...
Allowing the Storm players to go 'un-contested' for the bombed ball against them. It paid dividends very well and they even sucked Storm into thinking they would continue to do so 'every time'.
Just one of many 'new tactical' facets that Penrith brought to the table.
...while Storm didn't bring anything NEW at all and probably used big Nelson's ban as an excuse for victimhood?

Panthers showed nothing against the Sharks who traditionally did the Choke: (Panthers didn't win it, the Sharks lost it.)
Panthers showed 'everything' against the Storm.

PS: I go for the Sharks. Reckon Panthers were the most well deserved Team to win the GF. A right royal sucker punch in the end, considering their whole season.


Melbourne is no longer the Sporting Capital of Australia!!!

it was definitely the Storm player's own arm under the ball

https://wwos.nine.com.au/videos/nrl/papenhuyzen-kick-off-shocker-cruels-storm/cm...

This shows the out on the full. Pic 1 is the players foot leaving the ground 2 shown the ball in hands with the foot still in the air and the third shows the foot hitting the ground too late. The link is the moving film which shows it more clearly right at the end.

Dnarever wrote on Oct 7^th, 2024 at 7:41pm:


I think the touch judge made the right call on that one. Had the player kept one foot in the play of the ground, and his left leg above the ground over the touch line, it would have been either play on, or the receiving (catching) player might well have overbalanced and made it a Storm play-the-ball.

I think the touch judge made the right call on that one.

I did not watch the Roosters v Manly game. But, it seems like the score would suggest a considerable amount of bias against the Manly team. Finals footy games usually don't have blow-out scorelines without some kind of rigging of the games.

You might as well throw some glass into the pipe and smoke away any distractions of NRL finals. Otherwise, on the other end of the scale, you could park your car in a  Colorado parking spot and breathe the beatnik pedestrian traffic pollution.