The Canberra Raiders were robbed of a historic NRL Grand Final victory after a shocking error by the referees – but the NRL has controversially stood by the blunder.
The Sydney Roosters’ 14-8 premiership victory was marred by an outrageous blunder by referees Ben Cummins and Gerard Sutton with seven minutes to go and the score dead-locked at 8-all on Sunday evening.
The Roosters were given the ball back deep in Raiders territory when the referees initially waved six more tackles to Canberra before Cummins changed his mind.
Seconds later, Roosters full-back James Tedesco raced away to score what was the match-winning try.
NRL head of football Graham Annesley came out in support of the referees following the shocking season decider, and claimed the decision was ‘correct’.
Speaking to Channel 9 after the match, Mr Annesley said he had a ‘closer look’ at the moment, observed four different camera angles and determined the ball did come off the shoulder of a Raiders player.
‘The referee does call six more but immediately gets a call from the assistant referee and one of the touch judges that it was off a Raiders player. He immediately corrected that call and called last tackle, and called last tackle four more times before the play actually broke down,’ Mr Annesley said.
‘It’s very disappointing that the game has been marred in controversy after that initial six again call, but ultimately I believe the decision not to give six more tackles was correct.
‘Had they not corrected that decision, I’d probably be standing here talking to you now about the fact that a try may have been scored in the next set off an incorrect decision where the six tackles shouldn’t have been awarded.’
Referee Ben Cummins (in yellow) had his hand up signalling six more tackles before the Roosters end up with the ball
The refereeing blunder by Cummins (pictured with arm raised) occurred at a crucial moment that ultimately cost the Raiders
Mr Annesley said the incident was one of the reasons the NRL uses ‘multiple officials’, in a bid to get decisions right.
‘If we’d had one referee tonight we would have got the decision wrong,’ he said.
But Mr Annesley did accept the decision ‘created confusion among the Canberra players’.
It was one of several controversial decisions that went against the Raiders in their first Grand Final appearance in 25 years.
In the opening stages, a charged down kick which could have led to a Canberra Raiders try hit the Sydney Roosters physio on the field at the time, in the head.
The Raiders were also denied a penalty try when Josh Papalii was tackled without the ball metres from the try-line, which resulted in the sin-binning of retiring Roosters star Cooper Cronk.
The Roosters survived a second half onslaught from the Raiders to claim back to back premierships in a match marred with drama and controversy.
Fans and former players erupted with outrage after the full-time siren over the blunder that gave the Roosters victory.
‘Signalling six again & then changing their mind is the biggest referring blunder in grand final history… Absolute disgrace,’ former Cronulla Sharks and Penrith Panthers star Martin Lang tweeted.
Shattered Canberra Raiders were out on their feet after giving it their all in one of the most controversial grand finals
Roosters players celebrate after James Tedesco scored what ended up being the match-winning try with seven minutes to go
Josh Papalii reacts after being brought down by Cooper Cronk without the ball which almost resulted in a penalty try
The Sydney Roosters rule the roost once again after claiming back to back NRL premierships in a controversial grand final
Actor Russell Crowe added: Horses**t result in the Grand Final. Yet another rugby League embarrassment. Raiders ripped off.’
A shattered Raiders coach Ricky Stuart refused to comment on the controversy in his post-match press conference.
‘It’s not the time to talk about it,’ Stuart said.
‘You know, the Roosters achieved something very special tonight in winning two grand finals in a row. I don’t want to take the spotlight off that.
Stuart was also tight-lipped over the incident involving the Roosters physio in the opening stages.
‘It ricocheted off their trainer and we lose the advantage. You write what you want,’ Stuart told reporters.
The Roosters led the Raiders 8-6 at half-time in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 80,000 fans at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
The Raiders refused to give up without a fight and had the upper hand for much of the second half as the Roosters fought hard to survive to stay in the game
The Raiders hit back with a penalty goal equaliser to tie the game up at 8-all in the 50th minute after Roosters half-back Cooper Cronk was controversially sin-binned by referee Ben Cummins for a professional foul in his 375th and final NRL game.
But the Raiders were unable to capitalise on the one-man advantage with scores still tied at 8-all when Cronk returned to the field with 20 minutes to play.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the brave Canberra Raiders after a number of refereeing blunders went against them
The game erupted into controversy in the 50th minute when referee Ben Cummins sin-binned retiring NRL star Cooper Cronk
The Raiders hit back with a penalty goal equaliser to tie the game up at 8-all in the 50th minute after Roosters half-back Cooper Cronk was controversially sin-binned by referee Ben Cummins for a professional foul in his 375th and final NRL game.
But the Raiders were unable to capitalise on the one-man advantage with scores still tied at 8-all when Cronk returned to the field with 20 minutes to play.
The Roosters had a golden opportunity to regain the lead with 12 minutes to go but missed a penalty goal right in front.
All was forgiven by Roosters fans five minutes later when fullback James Tedesco raced away for their second try.
The try was converted for 14-8 Roosters lead with six minutes remaining.
The Canberra Raiders celebrate after they hit back in the 30th minute with a try to five-eighth Jack Wighton in the grand final
The Roosters drew first blood in the opening minutes after hooker Sam Verrills found his way to the try-line with a scurrying dash from dummy-half for a 6-0 lead after seven minutes.
A penalty conversion from Latrell Mitchell increased the Roosters’ lead to 8-0 halfway through the first half.
The Green Machine brought Raiders fans to their feet when they hit back in the 30th minute with a try to five-eighth Jack Wighton, which was then converted to trail 8-6.
The Roosters had a chance to increase their lead to 10-6 on the stroke of half-time but the long range penalty conversion attempt from Mitchell was waved away.
The Roosters played most of the match with 16 men after Mitchell Aubusson was carried from the field after injuring his knee while making a try-saving tackle on the Raiders’ try-line.
Cooper Cronk reacts to his sin-binning which left the Roosters one man down during a crucial period of the grand final
Nick Cotric of the Raiders and Joseph Manu of the Roosters compete for a bomb during the 2019 NRL Grand Final
Sydney Roosters players celebrate after hooker Sam Verrills scooted from dummy half to score the first try of the grand final
Jack Wighton’s four pointer in the 30th minute brought thousands of Canberra Raiders supporters in the stands to their feet
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returned to the Roosters line-up after missing last week’s preliminary final due to suspension
A thrilling pre-match entertainment line-up headlined by One Republic fired up the capacity crowd prior to kick-off, where one of the fireworks rigs caught alight.
The live performance by One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder copped an online public backlash from fans.
‘Out of all the talent available, they get a chance to make a statement and they blew the deal,’ one tweeted.
Another added: ‘They missed by a long way. It was s**t.’
The pre-match blunders continued prior to kick-off when indigenous Gold Coast Titans star Ryan James forgot the words to his speech while conducting the Welcome To Country.
He thanked the traditional custodians of the land, before he got stuck.
‘As a game we stand together, side by side … I’m lost,’ a flustered James told the crowd.
Roosters supporters had plenty to celebrate in the opening stages as their side enjoyed a 6-0 after just seven minutes
Large parts of ANZ Stadium were a sea of green with hundreds of Canberra Raiders making the trip from the nation’s capital
The live performance from One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder during the pre-match entertainment divided fans
Gold Coast Titans star Ryan James has been mocked online after stuffing up the Welcome To Country prior to kick-off
The Raiders were the first side to enter the field as the club’s famous Viking clap rocked the stadium to its core.
The Roosters confirmed an hour to kick-off that injured hooker Jake Friend would play, despite having not played since fracturing his arm three months ago.
Playing just his sixth game this season, Friend came off the bench after coach Trent Robinson opted to start with regular hooker Sam Verrills.
The decision paid off with Verrrills finding his way to the try-line in the opening minutes.
The Sydney Roosters cheerleaders hope to have plenty to cheer about in their second NRL grand final in a row
These die-hard Canberra Raiders arrived at ANZ Stadium early to beat the crowds. The grand final is officially a sell-out
The Canberra Raiders go into the grand final as underdogs but there’s no shortage of support from fans who made the trek
These die-hard Roosters supporters arrived at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium early on Sunday to soak up the glorious sunshine
The Roosters are chasing back to back premierships and their third in six years.
If they win, they will become the first side since the Brisbane Broncos in 1992-93 to claim back to back premierships.
The Raiders are in their first grand final in 25 years and go into the game as underdogs.
Earlier, thousands of die-hard Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders fans showed their true colours as they flocked to the packed Sydney Olympic Park precinct to cheer their teams on in the NRL grand final.
This Sydney Roosters supporter paid tribute to Cooper Cronk after a long and illustrious NRL career which ends tonight
The Green Machine from the nation’s capital will have plenty of support among the 80,000 fans at ANZ Stadium
Leading the huge wave of support for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL grand final are their cheerleaders, who arrived early
The Raiders’ famous Viking clap is set to rock the foundations of ANZ Stadium as Canberra enters the field on Sunday night
He might be a Canberra Raiders supporter but he’s also a fan of the Sydney Roosters cheerleaders outside ANZ Stadium
Hundreds of Roosters supporters who couldn’t get a NRL grand final ticket flocked to Easts Leagues Club in Bondi Junction
Hundreds of Raiders fans have made the trip up the Hume Highway from the nation’s capital to paint the town green with no shortage of Viking horns on show.
The Sydney Roosters have also been inundated with support with chicken costumes and tribute signs to star half-back Cooper Cronk, who will play his 375th and final NRL match tonight.
Fans who arrived at ANZ Stadium earlier in the afternoon have already seen a heartstopping thriller in the State Championship grand final, where the Newtown Jets came from behind in the dying seconds to score a match winning try in the final play of the game to defeat the Burleigh Bears 20-16.
This supporter decorated her wide-brimmed sombrero as a tribute to Roosters star and Dally M Medallist James Tedesco
Hundreds of Canberra Raiders supporters have headed up the Hume Highway for their team’s first grand final since 1994
This die-hard supporters hopes the Sydney Roosters will rule the roost in Sunday night’s NRL grand final
Many more supporters will cheering on their team from their loungerooms such as this adorable Sydney Roosters fan
This Canberra Raiders fan wearing a retro jersey is hoping for a third premiership on Sunday night and first since 1994
There was plenty of support for both sides as Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders supporters arrived at ANZ Stadium