Ivan Cleary is set to avoid a grand-final week NRL sanction despite his comments raising concerns over bunker officiating being branded “unhelpful” by Andrew Abdo.
Cleary implored the NRL to make changes in the bunker before Penrith’s title decider against Melbourne, saying he is worried that “terrible” obstruction calls could cost his side the premiership.
After the Panthers’ 26-6 preliminary final win over Cronulla on Saturday, Cleary said he was having “a lot of anxiety” over the NRL’s handling of obstructions.
Frustrated at a no-try call that went against the Panthers, Cleary questioned the performance of bunker referee Chris Butler and said he was concerned over a year-long pattern of debatable calls.
Up 10-2 with 30 minutes to play against the Sharks, Penrith thought they had taken a sizeable lead when Sunia Turuva crossed on the left wing.
But the try was cancelled when the bunker ruled that Luke Garner had taken out Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai in the lead up.
Replays appeared to show that Talakai had initiated contact, and the Penrith second-rower made a deliberate attempt to run past the Shark’s inside shoulder.
“That was a terrible decision, and that gives me a lot of anxiety around next week if that bunker official (is there again). I think it was Chris Butler,” Cleary said afterwards.
“That was wrong, and it’s been happening all year.
“That was the one time we sorted our stuff out and ran the play perfectly and ran to his inside shoulder. Sifa actually initiated contact.
“That worries me about next week if that same bunker official (is there) or, if he or someone else is going off the same script, then I’m concerned.”
Cleary went on to turn heat on NRL head of football Graham Annesley, suggesting the appointment of the bunker official for next Sunday’s Penrith-Melbourne grand final could be pivotal.
“I don’t know if Graham makes the selection on who’s in the bunker, but whoever’s in there needs to understand what we’re trying to do,” Cleary said.
“There are a lot of referees not reffing next week and they’re some of the best in the game, so surely someone can work that out.”
The NRL is unlikely to sanction the Panthers coach in grand final week but chief executive Abdo said it was inappropriate for Cleary to name-check Butler.
“Ivan is a great coach,” Abdo said.
“After the game he doesn’t like to talk about match officials, which is something everyone should observe.
“Coaches or players making comments about individual match officials and speculation on appointments are unhelpful and detract from the focus being on the clubs and the players in the lead up to the grand final.”
Cleary, usually one of the most reserved NRL coaches, is the latest mentor to criticise the bunker this year, after Wayne Bennett launched two separate attacks on video officials in recent months.
“Wayne Bennett – the best of all time – came out after their game against Newcastle and he was 100 per cent right,” Cleary said.
“He said that someone’s going to suffer in the finals.
“I know we got through the game, but next week is the biggest game of the year and I’d hate for something like that to happen.”
