Nathan Cleary 'frustrated' as Harry Grant milks field goal penalty in Storm-Panthers NRL blockbuster

Australia Broadcast Center

2 days ago

Melbourne is one of the few teams in the NRL this season that has had a game-winning field goal chalked off for foul play while in possession.
It happened when Trent Loiero gave away a penalty while playing the ball before Ryan Papenhuyzen slotted with a one-pointer with five minutes left in a Magic Round loss to Canberra.
On Thursday night, the rugby league gods flipped the script by rewarding the Storm with a dubious call of their own when Harry Grant milked a penalty as Nathan Cleary potted from 27 metres out.
Grant shot out of marker and, rather than make a beeline for Cleary's right kicking boot, took the scenic route to the left of the halfback around and ultimately into Panthers prop Moses Leota.
Referee Ashley Klein blew his whistle the moment Grant hit the deck and before the ball passed between the posts, explaining the penalty to Leota before turning to Grant and saying "don't try and milk it either".
Klein's comment after the fact was perhaps a recognition that Grant's efforts were not entirely dairy-free and Cleary protested, challenging the penalty.
Bunker replays showed Grant hamming it up as he ran towards and around Leota, sticking an arm out and going to ground dramatically.
Fans at Western Sydney Stadium may have had some hope of the on-field call being overturned, but bunker official Chris Butler broke their hearts, announcing: "Moses is now in a blocking position that denies Harry Grant a fair run to the ball. The challenge is unsuccessful."
You could hear the wry smile on the face of Cameron Smith, Grant's predecessor and one of the game's greatest exploiters of NRL rules and procedures, as he remarked on the replays.
"Harry does a really good job," Smith said in commentary for Channel Nine.
"When you break it down, he's running to the wrong side of Nathan Cleary because [Cleary is] right-footed. So he does a really good job there."
To make matters worse, Cleary had two more field goals charged down — one by Grant — before the Storm hooker and captain pulled off the ultimate dummy-half sneak in golden point to win a classic NRL clash.
Last year the NRL announced rules to outlaw teams placing "blockers" in front of kickers to impede players pressuring field goal attempts.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary diplomatically said "Harry's too smart at both ends" when asked about it in the post-match press conference, before imploring his son to "tell the truth" when the same question was directed at the skipper.
"If you're defending and you play for the obstruction, they don't want that in the game. For some reason it's different for a field goal," Nathan said.
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"I thought the blocking rule was brought in so people wouldn't stand next to the play-the-ball – Moses wasn't in that position.
"I don't believe everyone can get behind me on that field goal, and then essentially Harry played for it because he knew he was going to get the penalty.
"I don't think Moses moved at all, either. So, yeah, it was pretty frustrating."
Cleary also argued Leota was in position to take a run, although his claim that the Panthers would pass to a prop at first receiver for a hit-up on the last tackle with three minutes on the clock was about as believable as Grant's acting performance in the collision.
Melbourne's captain admitted there was some "inconsistency or confusion around it", adding if the NRL wants to come out and change things this week then he is OK with that, but said he was simply playing to the rules.
"Even the Penrith boys were aware of it in the game and when it happened," Grant said.
"Even the players on the field knew they weren't allowed to be in that position, they were saying 'get out of the road'.
"We all know the circumstances at that time of the game, everyone trains and understands you're not allowed to be in that position.
"It's a hard one, for sure, but that's just what's been policed throughout the season."
Grant said "hats off to the officials" for making the tough call in the biggest moment of the game.
The rules, announced in early 2024, were reiterated throughout last season.
"If you don't want to take the risk of having a field goal disallowed, don't put these players in this position. You're inviting the referee to take action," NRL head of football elite competitions Graham Annesley said.
"Why do they need to be there? They're clearly not receiving the ball, they know who the ball is going to so why put them there? You open the risk of the goal not being awarded."