Elliott Whitehead, captain of the Canberra Raiders, displayed clear frustration as the Sydney Roosters were granted a contentious penalty try during Saturday afternoon’s match. The controversial incident unfolded in the 10th minute when Luke Keary pursued a grubber kick near the try line, encountering contact from Morgan Smithies as he did so. Although Keary managed to make a clean attempt at grounding the ball, the contact from Smithies slightly impeded his path.
Referee Todd Smith referred the play to the Bunker, which determined that Keary would likely have scored the try if not for the interference from Smithies. This decision left Whitehead visibly frustrated, leading him to dispute the ruling on the field, arguing that Keary had a clear opportunity to score despite Smithies’ involvement.
Former rugby league star Greg Alexander echoed Whitehead’s argument during commentary, stating that Smithies’ actions had minimal impact on Keary’s attempt to ground the ball. Alexander noted that Keary was the only player near the ball and that the contact from Smithies did not significantly affect Keary’s ability to execute the play.
The first half also saw another contentious moment when the Raiders benefited from a close call, resulting in Nick Cotric being awarded a try in the 15th minute after Elliott Whitehead was deemed to have legally batted the ball back in the lead-up.