- Gold Coast Titans beat Cronulla Sharks in NRL thriller
- Sharks had another chance to score in the closing stages, but a refereeing blunder cost them dearly
- Fans of another club have recalled how a similar mistake cost them victory
Football fans have very good memories and some of them have no sympathy for the Cronulla Sharks after a refereeing decision cost them dearly on Friday night.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon insists Cronulla’s season is not in critical condition despite the Sharks suffering their fifth defeat in six games, losing 20-16 to Gold Coast.
However, a shocking error from the referee prevented the Sharks from playing a vital set of six when they attacked the try line, which could have denied them victory.
Four minutes into the second half, referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski incorrectly signalled for the fifth and final tackle, when it was actually the fourth.
Surprised by this mistake, Sharks’ Braydon Trindall kicked the ball, thinking it was the fifth tackle. The Titans successfully defended the kick in their goal area.
The match continued with a run of seven tackles for the Titans after Cronulla’s Kayal Iro was brought down a metre from the try line in what should have been the fourth tackle.
While the NRL will investigate the matter, North Queensland Cowboys fans have shown no sympathy for the Sharks after they were thrown out of the finals in 2013 for a similar incident.
The NRL at the time expressed its deep regret over the “human error” that led to Cronulla being awarded a try with seven tackles in their 20-18 final win over North Queensland.
The referee signals for the fifth tackle, while the live scoreboard shows it was only a fourth tackle
Bean Ryan scored the Sharks’ first try in the eighth minute at Sydney Football Stadium, but replays later showed the goal was awarded on the seventh tackle by referees Matt Cecchin and Henry Perenara.
The decision had a major impact on the outcome of the match and resulted in the Cowboys being eliminated from the final series for the second year in a row due to controversy surrounding the referee.
At half-time, the NRL acknowledged that all six match officials had made a mistake, and immediately after the game announced that an investigation would be launched.
Beau Ryan took advantage when the Sharks were handed a set of seven tackles in the 2013 NRL final
And the die-hard Cowboys fans don’t want Cronulla to be forgotten.
“The North remembers,” someone wrote.
Another was furious: ‘I was at the 7 tackle set match in Sydney when we played the sharks. So no pity – and ours was in the final.’
“I guess you reap what you sow. Shame it took 10 years and didn’t cost them a finals spot,” posted another Cowboys supporter.
“What a shame, condolences from the Cowboys,” wrote another with a wink.
And yet another simply posted, “Karma.”
The Sharks have suffered another loss and are in danger of dropping out of the NRL’s top four
Although the loss has put a significant dent in the Sharks’ ambitions of a top four finish, Fitzgibbon is not throwing in the towel just yet.
“It’s not critical yet, we’re still in a strong position,” Fitzgibbon said.
“But what is crucial is that we have to address it, otherwise it will be. There are many parts that I like.
‘We don’t shy away from it, we go for it and we take up the fight.’
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