NRL: Angry coach says video ref conned

The Bulldogs Luke Patten tries to stop fans throwing bottles. Photo / Getty Images

Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore labelled the decision to deny Jamal Idris a match-winning try one of the worst he'd seen as St George Illawarra held on for an epic 20-18 win on Friday night.

Bottles, including a glass one which just missed Wendell Sailor, rained upon the playing surface after video referee Steven Clark denied Idris a try with 33 seconds remaining that would have sealed a stunning comeback win for the ladder leaders.

Clark pulled up the four-pointer for an innocuous obstruction play in the lead-up to the try with Greg Eastwood ruled to have blocked Jamie Soward for making a tackle on fullback Luke Patten.

But Moore was having none of it.

"I think it's one of the worst I've ever seen, full stop," Moore said.

"Imagine if that was a grand final.

"It was a definite try - that happens every kick return in the game ... [Eastwood] stood his ground.

"What was he supposed to do, dig a hole?

"Jamie Soward conned the video referee, he backed into Greg Eastwood, he made no attempt to go towards Luke Patten to make a tackle," Moore said.

"He made a bigger attempt to get to the referee at the end of the field to complain. I feel my players have been really hard done by tonight ... they could have and should have won that game."

Soward denied that he had taken a dive.

"I'm not like that. I'm pretty disappointed that the coach has viewed that I take a dive," he said. "All my team-mates know I'm not like that. I tried to tackle him."

The furious response from the Bulldogs section of the sell-out crowd brought an end to what had been a dramatic comeback from the Dogs.

It will come as some consolation that NRL referees boss Robert Finch agreed the Bulldogs should have been awarded the try.

"From my review of the video, I am of the opinion it should have been awarded," Finch said yesterday in a statement.

"I still need to sit down with the video referees in the proper environment on Monday and that remains an important part of our process, but on what I have seen I can't defend the decision.

"Steve said after the game that he felt Soward had been denied the opportunity to defend Luke Patten and he and the rest of the team need the chance to take me through their reasoning in more detail, but I think most people in the game would have seen it as a try and I did as well.

"I can understand the frustration a lot of people may feel today but these things can't be undone and referees and video referees can only call it as they see it at the time."

Clark could find himself dropped for the next round when appointments for next weekend's matches are announced on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs had been lucky to be down just 14-6 after an opening 40 minutes in which the home side totally dominated possession and field position.

But they hung in there and Idris - who had a powerful game - scored nine minutes from time to close the gap to just two points after the Bulldogs had been reduced to 12 men earlier in the half when Brett Kimmorley was sinbinned for a professional foul.AAP