Rugby league greats Andrew Johns and Cameron Smith questioned a late call that helped South Sydney’s incredible comeback at AAMI Park.
Melbourne was clinging to a 14-8 lead, having surrender two straight tries to bomb a 14-0 advantage to the Bunnies in a Round 2 thriller.
As the Rabbitohs looked to attack once again, they shifted the ball right but it was dropped cold by centre Campbell Graham.
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His error should have killed off the comeback and essentially cemented the Storm win. But the Bunker found a penalty in the play that went against the Storm.
Storm forward Trent Loiero was judged to have tackled Cameron Murray without the ball.
Johns, though, disagreed with the decision.
“He has to set himself to tackle,” Johns said of Loiero.
“He can’t pull out there. He’s got his feet positioned to tackle.”
Retired Storm champion Smith agreed, and went further in his assessment of the penalty.
“And the thing is if (South halfback Lachlan) Ilias plays short to Cam Murray, a defender needs to be prepared to make contact,” Smith said.
“It’s the fabric of our game.”
Immediately after that penalty, Graham scored a try.
Latrell Mitchell’s two-point field goal then forced the game to extra time.
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