NRL 2025: Titans coach Des Hasler erupts over costly Bunker call
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Titans coach Des Hasler has slammed a controversial Bunker ruling against his side that sparked a 12-point turnaround for the Storm, declaring 'it was the wrong decision' based on what he'd been told by the NRL.
The Storm left the Gold Coast with a sloppy 28-16 win in awful conditions, but it could've been a very different result had the Bunker not denied the home side a try that proved very telling as the visitors scored a minute later.
Down 22-10 with 16 minutes remaining, Titans hooker Sam Verrills waited an eternity at the ruck to pick up the ball before he burrowed through some flimsy defence to score under the posts.
The original decision was a six again to the Titans and a try on the field, but Kasey Badger in the bunker intervened and ruled that Verrills had burrowed through Tino Fa'asuamaleaui who had blocked Ryan Papenhuyzen from making a tackle.
The Titans received the penalty but it didn't help as Grant Anderson picked off a pass a few plays later to put the Storm further in front.
The Storm scored moments after the Titans were denied a try by the Bunker. Picture:'I thought it was the wrong decision,' a frustrated Hasler said.
'I think there was an email that came from the NRL about players laying in the ruck, and that's fine, that's good, let them lay in the ruck.
'But you shouldn't lose the advantage.
'On that particular field position, I spoke to (officiating coach) David Fairleigh and sent an email because there's a similar play that Melbourne use with big NAS (Nelson Asofa-Solomona) who is very good at that.
'I just thought we took that space. I don't think we contacted anybody. Tino played the ball so he's allowed to hold his ground, I was told.
'Verrills picks up the ball and doesn't touch anyone. Papenhuyzen wasn't obstructed, and that was word for word what the NRL set out so I'll be interested to know what their explanation was.
'Kasey got it wrong. Again.'
A fuming Hasler ended the press conference abruptly and received some support from Storm coach Craig Bellamy who didn't see much wrong with the contact.
Coaches have been told not to criticise officials, with North Queensland's Todd Payten recently receiving a warning from head office.
'I didn't think there was a whole heap wrong with it when I watched it live, but I didn't look at any slow motion (replays),' he said.
'All of a sudden when we were trying to rearrange things, it got disallowed so I wouldn't comment on it.'
Originally published as 'Kasey got it wrong. Again': Des Hasler takes aim at the Bunker after crucial call costs the Titans dearly
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