The Serve

Broncos win a marathon

The role of the video referee was brought into further spotlight after Brisbane’s classy 20-14 win over the Sydney Roosters was overshadowed by a mixture of controversial decisions and lengthy delays.

The marquee Good Friday clash took over two hours to complete, as video ref Steve Clark was kept busy with a series of rulings on tries and discretions during play. The stop-start nature of the match led to Roosters coach Brad Fittler comparing league to rugby union.

The home side led 14-8 at the break, only for Brisbane veteran Tonie Carroll to crash over five minutes into the second half. The deadlock was broken by a Broncos halfback Peter Wallace penalty goal, before Darius Boyd was given the benefit of the doubt on the grounding of a try, when it appeared the ball had been kicked away.

Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall almost scored a miraculous try in the dying stages, only to place a foot on the touch line as he contorted his body around the corner post.

Broncos fullback Karmichael Hunt will be lucky to avoid a charge by the NRL review committee, after a shoulder charge on Braith Anasta went horribly wrong, with the Roosters five eighth falling into Hunt’s shoulder, the contact smashing Anasta’s nose.