Footy world divided by controversial call

Footy world divided by controversial call

The Dragons led 26-4 at halftime after a dominant opening 40 minutes and appeared ready to coast to victory at WIN Stadium.

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But the Eels had other ideas, scoring three tries in an 11-minute stretch to roar back into the contest at 26-20.

Then came the moment that will have plenty of people talking.

The Eels moved the ball to the left side of the field with just over 17 minutes remaining, when Sean Russell found Josh Addo-Carr on the left wing.

The man known as the Foxx broke a Corey Allan tackle and passed back inside to Russell, who had clear air in front of him to stroll to the line and give Parra the chance to tie the game at 26-26.

But the touch judge had other ideas, lifting his flag and ruling Addo-Carr had touched the sideline to stun the Eels fans watching on.

When the replay was shown, it was one of the tightest calls you could see on the footy field and far from convincing.

鈥淎ddo-Carr is away, it might be 26-26 in a moment,鈥 Andrew Voss yelled on Fox League.

鈥淣o the flag is up, a foot over the sideline. Our man is standing by his decision.

鈥淎ddo-Carr, left leg down and then the right, where is it? Could be this one. I don鈥檛 know.

鈥淚f it鈥檚 not, it鈥檚 as close as you can go. Oh boy.鈥

Steve Roach added: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know about that. How could naked eye make a call?

鈥淗e had a player down in front of him, how could he see it?鈥

Voss then clarified the ruling, stating: 鈥淭hat is incredible that moment, but once the sideline official鈥檚 flag goes up, the protocol is you don鈥檛 go to the Bunker. It was going to be 26-all.

鈥淪end some Panadol to the Dragons鈥 box.鈥

Fans were deeply divided by the incident on social media.

Lui Zacher tweeted: 鈥淭ouchie has X ray vision to see through a Dragons player, and CSI: Enhance technology to call Addo-Carr鈥檚 boot on the line 15 metres away, but someone chucks a forward pass right in front and it鈥檚 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see nuffin鈥.鈥

@aotesam wrote: 鈥淚 think his foot *just* went into touch 鈥 but there is absolutely no way you can call it with confidence.鈥

Jack Holdsworth said: 鈥淭he first time a useless touch judge has ever made a live call and he reckons he鈥檚 seen 1mm of Addo-Carrs foot on the sideline. Give me a f**king spell.鈥

Mr_Ives wrote: 鈥淭hat Dragons Eels touchie could see Uranus without a telescope.鈥

Gemma Rogers suggested: 鈥淚 thought the touchie got that right. Looked like his foot was just on the line.鈥

LJ declared: 鈥淧arra have been screwed big time there, that was never in touch!鈥

The Dragons eventually scored another try through Valentine Holmes with five minutes remaining to establish a match-winning lead.

Voss was left hoping Addo-Carr鈥檚 moment wouldn鈥檛 be the biggest talking point of a great game of footy.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been so much happening in this game,鈥 he said.

鈥淚 know people are going to go back to the Addo-Carr foot on the line.

鈥淚f he鈥檚 in, it鈥檚 the closest to being out anyway there鈥檚 ever been and that would be 26-all at that point.

鈥淏ut I鈥檇 rather savour the game at the moment, rather than the controversy.鈥

We鈥檙e not sure Eels fans would agree, Vossy.

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