NRL match officials miss error

The NRL has revealed a Kotoni Staggs try in Brisbane's four-point win over South Sydney was incorrectly awarded.

Staggs' third try on Friday night came gave the Broncos a 22-10 lead with 22 minutes remaining, an advantage they held onto in an eventual 22-18 victory over the Rabbitohs and former coach Wayne Bennett.

But the NRL football department's post-game review found Staggs had knocked on in scoring under the posts, an error that was not picked up by on-field officials, commentary teams or the NRL video bunker.

The Rabbitohs also did not use their captain's challenge to dispute the decision, with head of football Graham Annesley expressing surprise at when and how often clubs have used their challenges.

“The captain’s challenge could have been used, but for the same reason it was difficult for the referee to pick up it would have been just as difficult for the defending team to pick up as well,” Annesley said.

“Kotoni Staggs in the Broncos game against the Rabbits looked to have scored the try at full speed.

“But you will see on the replay in slow motion the ball has clearly left his hand as he goes to put it down.

“... There is separation there and that should not have been a try the way our rules are currently structured.

“So we put our hand up on that one, it’s not an easy one to pick up, but it didn’t go to the bunker and there was no captain's challenge.

“And that is a classic example of had their been doubt from the defenders they could have challenged that.”

Across the first two weekends of the NRL 19 captain's challenges have been made at a little over one per match.

Of those just five have been successful, with Annesley curious about few challenges being “saved” until late in the game or being used as a tactic to slow down play.

Speaking after round one Eels star Mitchell Moses predicted captain's challenges would be deployed as a stalling tactic by defensive teams.

But so far Annesley has seen the 10-second time limit as giving players little time to co-ordinate a challenge for purely tactical reasons.

"I am a little surprised (at when challenges are used in games) but it's designed for clubs to use however they see fit," Annesley said.

"I think they will become much more circumspect about the situations they use it in as time goes by. But if they genuinely believe (the referees) have made an error, the captain's challenge is there for them to have that checked.

"…It wasn't designed to be used frivolously, it certainly wasn't designed to be used for tactical purposes."