Imperfect Storm: Match review committee whacks Bulldogs star as Storm duo not charged following controversial Magic Round finish
Loiero was penalised for a high shot in golden point and also for foul play that cost his side a field goal, while Utoikamanu was sent to the sin bin for his role in a melee that cost the Storm possession while in field-goal range during extra time.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy conceded his players needed to be more disciplined in key moments, but neither player being charged supports public outcry that the premiership favourites were hard done by with the match on the line.
Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen was clearly frustrated by the calls after the game, telling ABC Sport 'he's gonna be on report for that and watch him get off it'.
GOLDEN POINT CHAOS... and Craig Bellamy will be FUMING!
After conceding the late try, a series of Storm blunders set up a famous Raiders comeback
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— Fox League (@FOXNRL) May 4, 2025
While the finish to that game was controversial, the perceived crackdown from round 8 appears well and truly over after charges were slashed in half in Brisbane where sin bins, fines and suspensions were all down on the previous week.
There were fears that Magic Round could be ruined by bunker intervention, but the officials backed up promises from the NRL last week that the threshold would be changed for video referee interference.
After a staggering 18 sin bins were dished out in round 8, only six players were marched during the eight games at Suncorp Stadium, and none of them were for high contact.
Two players spent time off the field for professional fouls, another two were punished for a golden-point scuffle, Preston was marched for a crusher tackle, while Brian Kelly was sent to the sin bin for being offside at a scrum.
There were 20 charges handed out in round 8 and players missed a combined 16 weeks through suspension, while fines totalled $14,350 for the round to take the season figure beyond $100,000.
But there were only eight charges at Magic Round, with players to pay $7350 in fines if they take the early guilty plea.
Preston won't be so lucky, with the edge forward's third and subsequent offence set to rule him out for at least the next three weeks to add to Canterbury's suspension woes, while North Queensland's Reuben Cotter has been offered two games for a high shot.
The Bulldogs were already without Matt Burton, Josh Curran and Sitili Tupouniua after they were all suspended for round 8, with Preston to be a huge loss on the right edge.
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The Advertiser
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Fremantle's finals fate hangs in the balance following last Friday's 57-point loss the Brisbane Lions in Perth. If the seventh-placed Dockers (15-7) lose to the eighth-placed Bulldogs (14-8), they will miss the finals unless Gold Coast lose to both Port Adelaide (away) and Essendon (home). Two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe has already announced he will retire at the end of the season, and Fremantle are desperate to send him off with a flag. Fremantle had won 11 of their past 12 games before their big flop against Brisbane, and Longmuir has been baffled by the doomsday talk. "Everyone wants to catastrophise after one performance," Longmuir said. "As a club, we lean into our last 12, 13 weeks, which have been strong. "There's a good blue print there for us to succeed this weekend." The Bulldogs have won their past four games and are the highest scoring team in the competition, but Longmuir was quick to put the heat on them. "The pressure's on them as well, isn't it? The last time I checked, they've won one less game than us," Longmuir said. "The narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit, because last time I checked, we're on the same amount of wins as Collingwood, who are sitting fourth. "Everyone is talking like we're going to miss the finals. We've got full faith in this group to be able to go there and get it done, and play our way, and I'm confident our way is good enough." Dockers forward Josh Treacy said some of his team's poor decision making against the Lions had been so bad that it was laughable. "If you don't laugh you cry sometimes," Longmuir agreed. "It's almost like, 'Oh, how do you not kick a goal there', or 'How did you stuff that up?' "It just hasn't been us. I'm guessing that's what he (Treacy) is talking about, and that stuff is an easy fix." Longmuir was tight lipped when asked whether he would recall star midfielder Hayden Young, who has missed the past two weeks with an adductor strain but is expected to be unleashed against the Dogs. Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is adamant Luke Jackson's unexpected dash to Melbourne won't harm the team's chances in Sunday's must-win clash with the Western Bulldogs. Jackson flew to Melbourne after his partner's mum passed away on Saturday night, and he will remain there until Sunday's game at Marvel Stadium. The 23-year-old has been training by himself while away from Perth, and will link up with the Dockers when the team flies east on Friday. Although Longmuir said Jackson's absence would affect preparation "a little bit", he said it would have no affect come game time. "I'm confident we'll be able to work our way around it and confident he can still prepare really well," Longmuir said on Wednesday. "He's been in contact with the coaches, he's watched our reviews. "Sometimes personal circumstances override team preference. We'll work our way through that. "Come Sunday, it won't be an issue at all." Fremantle's finals fate hangs in the balance following last Friday's 57-point loss the Brisbane Lions in Perth. If the seventh-placed Dockers (15-7) lose to the eighth-placed Bulldogs (14-8), they will miss the finals unless Gold Coast lose to both Port Adelaide (away) and Essendon (home). Two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe has already announced he will retire at the end of the season, and Fremantle are desperate to send him off with a flag. Fremantle had won 11 of their past 12 games before their big flop against Brisbane, and Longmuir has been baffled by the doomsday talk. "Everyone wants to catastrophise after one performance," Longmuir said. "As a club, we lean into our last 12, 13 weeks, which have been strong. "There's a good blue print there for us to succeed this weekend." The Bulldogs have won their past four games and are the highest scoring team in the competition, but Longmuir was quick to put the heat on them. "The pressure's on them as well, isn't it? The last time I checked, they've won one less game than us," Longmuir said. "The narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit, because last time I checked, we're on the same amount of wins as Collingwood, who are sitting fourth. "Everyone is talking like we're going to miss the finals. We've got full faith in this group to be able to go there and get it done, and play our way, and I'm confident our way is good enough." Dockers forward Josh Treacy said some of his team's poor decision making against the Lions had been so bad that it was laughable. "If you don't laugh you cry sometimes," Longmuir agreed. "It's almost like, 'Oh, how do you not kick a goal there', or 'How did you stuff that up?' "It just hasn't been us. I'm guessing that's what he (Treacy) is talking about, and that stuff is an easy fix." Longmuir was tight lipped when asked whether he would recall star midfielder Hayden Young, who has missed the past two weeks with an adductor strain but is expected to be unleashed against the Dogs. Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is adamant Luke Jackson's unexpected dash to Melbourne won't harm the team's chances in Sunday's must-win clash with the Western Bulldogs. Jackson flew to Melbourne after his partner's mum passed away on Saturday night, and he will remain there until Sunday's game at Marvel Stadium. The 23-year-old has been training by himself while away from Perth, and will link up with the Dockers when the team flies east on Friday. Although Longmuir said Jackson's absence would affect preparation "a little bit", he said it would have no affect come game time. "I'm confident we'll be able to work our way around it and confident he can still prepare really well," Longmuir said on Wednesday. "He's been in contact with the coaches, he's watched our reviews. "Sometimes personal circumstances override team preference. We'll work our way through that. "Come Sunday, it won't be an issue at all." Fremantle's finals fate hangs in the balance following last Friday's 57-point loss the Brisbane Lions in Perth. If the seventh-placed Dockers (15-7) lose to the eighth-placed Bulldogs (14-8), they will miss the finals unless Gold Coast lose to both Port Adelaide (away) and Essendon (home). Two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe has already announced he will retire at the end of the season, and Fremantle are desperate to send him off with a flag. Fremantle had won 11 of their past 12 games before their big flop against Brisbane, and Longmuir has been baffled by the doomsday talk. "Everyone wants to catastrophise after one performance," Longmuir said. "As a club, we lean into our last 12, 13 weeks, which have been strong. "There's a good blue print there for us to succeed this weekend." The Bulldogs have won their past four games and are the highest scoring team in the competition, but Longmuir was quick to put the heat on them. "The pressure's on them as well, isn't it? The last time I checked, they've won one less game than us," Longmuir said. "The narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit, because last time I checked, we're on the same amount of wins as Collingwood, who are sitting fourth. "Everyone is talking like we're going to miss the finals. We've got full faith in this group to be able to go there and get it done, and play our way, and I'm confident our way is good enough." Dockers forward Josh Treacy said some of his team's poor decision making against the Lions had been so bad that it was laughable. "If you don't laugh you cry sometimes," Longmuir agreed. "It's almost like, 'Oh, how do you not kick a goal there', or 'How did you stuff that up?' "It just hasn't been us. I'm guessing that's what he (Treacy) is talking about, and that stuff is an easy fix." Longmuir was tight lipped when asked whether he would recall star midfielder Hayden Young, who has missed the past two weeks with an adductor strain but is expected to be unleashed against the Dogs.
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Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is adamant Luke Jackson's unexpected dash to Melbourne won't harm the team's chances in Sunday's must-win clash with the Western Bulldogs. Jackson flew to Melbourne after his partner's mum passed away on Saturday night, and he will remain there until Sunday's game at Marvel Stadium. The 23-year-old has been training by himself while away from Perth, and will link up with the Dockers when the team flies east on Friday. Although Longmuir said Jackson's absence would affect preparation "a little bit", he said it would have no affect come game time. "I'm confident we'll be able to work our way around it and confident he can still prepare really well," Longmuir said on Wednesday. "He's been in contact with the coaches, he's watched our reviews. "Sometimes personal circumstances override team preference. We'll work our way through that. "Come Sunday, it won't be an issue at all." Fremantle's finals fate hangs in the balance following last Friday's 57-point loss the Brisbane Lions in Perth. If the seventh-placed Dockers (15-7) lose to the eighth-placed Bulldogs (14-8), they will miss the finals unless Gold Coast lose to both Port Adelaide (away) and Essendon (home). Two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe has already announced he will retire at the end of the season, and Fremantle are desperate to send him off with a flag. Fremantle had won 11 of their past 12 games before their big flop against Brisbane, and Longmuir has been baffled by the doomsday talk. "Everyone wants to catastrophise after one performance," Longmuir said. "As a club, we lean into our last 12, 13 weeks, which have been strong. "There's a good blue print there for us to succeed this weekend." The Bulldogs have won their past four games and are the highest scoring team in the competition, but Longmuir was quick to put the heat on them. "The pressure's on them as well, isn't it? The last time I checked, they've won one less game than us," Longmuir said. "The narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit, because last time I checked, we're on the same amount of wins as Collingwood, who are sitting fourth. "Everyone is talking like we're going to miss the finals. We've got full faith in this group to be able to go there and get it done, and play our way, and I'm confident our way is good enough." Dockers forward Josh Treacy said some of his team's poor decision making against the Lions had been so bad that it was laughable. "If you don't laugh you cry sometimes," Longmuir agreed. "It's almost like, 'Oh, how do you not kick a goal there', or 'How did you stuff that up?' "It just hasn't been us. I'm guessing that's what he (Treacy) is talking about, and that stuff is an easy fix." Longmuir was tight lipped when asked whether he would recall star midfielder Hayden Young, who has missed the past two weeks with an adductor strain but is expected to be unleashed against the Dogs.
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14 hours ago
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Ricky Stuart's son Jed bracing to be dropped by his dad as Savelio Tamale nears return for NRL finals
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