Cronulla and Newcastle each had field goals taken away for attacking players preventing defenders from stopping field-goal attempts, a tactic Annesley said teams were warned about in the off-season.
“This is factual. This is straight out of the laws and interpretations that every club has a copy of. This is factual law of the game. So, if I’m accused of dressing it up, I’ll accept that if it means that I have to just give you the facts,” Annesley said.
The NRL handbook rules that referees or the video referees may rule obstruction if any player of the attacking team, in relation to a field goal, takes up a position near the play-the-ball and in the opinion of the referees, obstructs the defenders regardless of if there is physical contact.
“This is not something that has appeared in round 24,” Annesley said. “In the off-season, there were meetings that were held with coaches, there was documentation sent to coaches, there were videos that were produced before round one and we have discussed in this forum on multiple occasions throughout the course of the year, players who stand between the ruck and the kicker in order to create an obstruction [are not allowed].
“In these types of situations, if you do not want to take the risk of having field goals disallowed, don’t put these [obstructing] players in this position. You’re inviting the referee to take the action… Obstruction, blockers, case closed.”
Kalyn Ponga celebrates a successful field goal before it’s disallowed.Credit: NRL Images
Annesley said Sutton’s decision to also disallow Daniel Atkinson’s first field goal for Cronulla was similarly the right call.
“The [Knights] defenders have to run either around or in between players to get to the kicker. So it’s absolutely consistent,” he said.
Loading
“It went both ways, both for the same action, both with blockers between the ruck and the kicker, and again if that’s dressing it up, I’ll cop it on the chin. It’s factual, it’s the rules of the game, and players and coaches have to abide by those rules or suffer the consequences.”
Annesley also backed Sutton’s decision to send Crossland to the bin on the half-time siren for intentionally trying to prevent a Sharks play-the-ball on the cusp of half-time.
“This has been described as a ridiculous decision, and my personal opinion is that there is absolutely nothing ridiculous about this decision at all,” Annesley said.
“The referee clearly identifies that it was an attempt [from Crossland] to stop the play-the-ball before half-time. That’s a professional foul. That’s not a regular holding down penalty…it was not a matter of repeated infringements.”
“So, there is nothing ridiculous about this decision. It’s 100 per cent correct and I think the audio and the video speaks for itself.”
‘It was just dumb by me’: Atkinson agrees with controversial field goal call
Daniel Atkinson had only played two NRL games before 2024. Fourteen games, two field goals and three halves partners later, he’s a major reason Cronulla are guaranteed to play finals football and could seal a spot in the top four.
With Cronulla’s first-choice halves pairing of Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall still out with injuries, Atkinson has taken on the role of the Shark’s new ‘ice man’ after kicking the winning field goal in drama-filled golden point victory for Cronulla on Sunday afternoon.
Daniel Atkinson celebrates with William Kennedy after kicking the game-winning field goal in golden point.Credit: NRL Images
“Seeing the raw emotion of when the boys looked up and turned around. I think that was more special than the drop goal,” Atkinson said.
It was an eventful afternoon in the Shire, after Atkinson and Knight’s fullback Kalyn Ponga were denied field-goals due to obstructing defending players.
But Atkinson said he agreed with referee Gerrard Sutton’s decision to disallow the first of his two field goals, and said he was easily able to reset to slot the game-winning goal.
“That’s why I’m in the halves, that’s why I play. The boys need me to slot this. It’s my job,” he said. “I didn’t know I had to kick a field goal tonight but when it’s needed, the boys expect you to ice them.”
“I wasn’t rattled [after the first one] because I got it. It was just dumb by me, to be honest. I had blockers there, I just got excited because it was a quick play-the-ball. It was a fair call. It didn’t rattle me. It was probably just more, ‘I shouldn’t have taken that’.”
Loading
Trindall and Hynes are both expected to return for Cronulla before the end of the regular season. In the interim, Atkinson has proven to be a valuable addition for Cronulla, and said he owed his success this year to the halves he learnt under first at Melbourne and now at Cronulla.
“I’ve got to thank Nicho a lot, Nicho’s taking time out of his life, and now he’s injured he’s helping me with video, just little stuff to keep an eye on. He’s helped me a lot. We see each other every day, really. We do a bit of video here and there but most of it’s just verbal. Most of it’s just, ‘Keep an eye on this’,” he said.
“[We’ll chat] over coffee, or we’ll go for a swim or something. It’s not all about footy, it’s just about connection and that… He’s an infectious person to hang around. He’s one of the best in the game and I think the more I can pick his brain, obviously it’s going to help my game too.”
Atkinson is signed with the Sharks until 2025, but said no decisions had been made about his future.
“I haven’t even thought about that to be honest, I’m still trying to stay in this team week in, week out and just put my best foot forward,” he said.
“I love being here, love the Sharks, absolutely love the lifestyle…I was being a ‘chippie’ [carpenter] when they gave me the call so (repaying them) is always in the back of my head.”
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
