NRL news: Raiders vs Eels, Dylan Brown off-side, Jordan Rapana try saver, video, result
Dylan Brown #DylanBrown
Canberra has become known as the “Faders” in recent years but on Thursday night the team withstood a stunning barrage to secure victory in their grittiest performance of the year.
The Raiders had no right to beat Parramatta after the Eels were gifted a try on the back of a horrendous bunker decision in the dying stages.
Canberra was leading 12-6 when Eels halfback Jakob Arthur skied a kick towards the goal-line in the 76th minute.
Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown was clearly in front of Arthur at the time of the kick, making him off-side which should have killed the try which Maika Sivo ended up finishing in the corner.
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Referee Adam Gee sent the decision up to bunker official Henry Perenara to review.
Perenara seemingly skipped past the Brown off-side, which has Fox League’s commentators stunned.
“Are you telling Dylan Brown is on-side? No way he is on-side,” Andrew Voss said.
“Dylan Brown is not on-side. I thought he was off-side at the previous kick too.”
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The bunker seemed to rewind to review the Brown incident but Perenara still opted to let the try stand,” also judging Sivo had grounded the ball before being bundled into touch.
Voss was flabbergasted.
“I am still bewildered by Dylan Brown being called on-side,” he said.
Voss was calm in comparison to rugby league social media.
Fans took to Twitter to vent their dismay at the bunker’s decision, which put the Eels within two points of the Raiders after a missed sideline conversion.
It was 12-10 and the Raiders were clinging desperately to a slim lead that could ultimately define their season.
Parramatta almost stole victory in the final minute when the ball again found its way into Sivo’s hands.
The hulking winger flew for the tryline, only for fill-in Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana to fly across the field and throw all his body weight at the Fijian, this time successfully knocking him into touch.
The bunker reviewed a possible Rapana shoulder charge, which would have been a penalty try and an Eels win.
But Rapana’s contact was cleared and Canberra scraped home with the points.