‘The pass was forward!’ More ref drama as Manly awarded costly, contentious try in thriller

Forward pass controversy has reared its head again after a questionable 36th-minute Ethan Bullemor try got Manly back in the game against the Bulldogs.

With the Sea Eagles trailing 16-6, winger Lehi Hopoate leaped for a Daly Cherry-Evans bomb and looked to have sent the ball forward after a “bobble” only for officials to let the play continue.

It follows Friday night’s match with Roosters with coach Trent Robinson blowing up post-game after a James Tedesco pass, that looked to have travelled backwards and had Joseph Suaalii in open space, was deemed forward with the game in the balance.

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“The pass was forward,” Fox League’s Andrew Voss said.

“I don’t know about the last pass but Bullemor has ended up with a Manly try.”

“Maybe a smidgen forward – I think they’re going to get away with it,” fellow commentator Steve Roach added.

“Might have been a little bit of a knock on.”

“It looks like there is a little bobble there,” Cooper Cronk said.

“Try confirmed – the bobble,” Voss declared.

It proved pivotal as the Sea Eagles won the game 24-22.

It comes after the Storm extended their lead over the Sharks on Saturday when a similar call went their way via Will Warbrick try in the 24th minute.

However upon closer look, the flick pass from Nick Meaney which set up Warbrick looked to go forward.

“I’d like to see it again, whether it’s a forward pass,” Fox League expert Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach said in commentary.

“It’s probably flat at best.”

Commentator Andrew Voss added: “I can live with it… but I can understand some Cronulla fans being a little upset.”

Referee Gerard Sutton awarded the try and given the Bunker cannot rule on a forward pass, that decision couldn’t be overturned — even if there was enough evidence to suggest it was forward.

The try took the Storm to a 12-4 lead after Meaney slotted the conversion. The Sharks narrowed the gap to 14-10 at half time — and fans will be hoping that Warbrick try doesn’t end up determining the result.

Meanwhile, Roosters coach Trent Robinson took aim at referee Ashley Klein after a forward pass ruling denied his side a try at a crucial moment during their qualifying loss to the Panthers on Friday night.

The game was locked in a tense grind with neither side able to gain the upper hand, only for the Roosters to break down the left edge with a series of passes that had Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii racing away for his second try

The Roosters faithful were in raptures but they hadn’t heard Ashley Klein’s whistle for a forward pass from Daniel Tupou that was line ball at worst.

“I didn’t think it was forward. I don’t think anyone thought it was forward except the ref,” Robinson said.

“Even looking at the replays and the angles of the pass, that’s a big call in that moment and you can’t get that wrong.”