Leigh Leopards coach bemoans controversial video referee decision following Leeds Rhinos defeat as process questioned

Leigh boss Adrian Lam has bemoaned the video referee’s decision to disallow what would have been an influential Bailey Hodgson try late on in the Leopards’ defeat to Leeds Rhinos.

The hosts raced into an 8-0 lead on Thursday night before seeing Leeds hit back with tries from Lachie Miller, Sam Lisone and James Bentley.

Keanan Brand’s second try of the evening though was converted by Gareth O’Brien to bring the Leopards back to within two points at 16-14.

And then came the controversial moment of the evening as Leigh full-back Hodgson darted over for a try which would have put Lam’s side ahead with little more than 15 minutes remaining.

On-field referee Jack Smith sent it upstairs as a try having come close to giving it straight off the bat, but after a lengthy review, it was ruled out for an obstruction on James McDonnell by Matt Davis in the build-up.

‘I can’t get my head around it… there are three passes after the incident before he scores a try’

Leigh went on to concede a late try which saw the Rhinos record a 22-14 victory, inflicting a first defeat in five on the hosts having also been the last side to get the better of them, doing so at Headingley last month.

The Leopards missed out on a chance to move second on the Super League ladder, and post-match, head coach Lam was left baffled by the disallowed try.

He said: “We’re frustrated with that. (Matt) Davis does run an outside shoulder, but I think the defender makes a decision to step into contact.

“Then, the ball is passed out to another person that’s outside of that hold that comes back into it.

“I felt he (McDonnell) had time to also go back and keep moving and doing his job, but it wasn’t to be.

“I can’t get my head around it. It goes up (to the video referee), it’s a 50-50 and you’ve got your fingers crossed, you don’t know what’s going to come out of it.”

On-field referee Smith, who had earlier in the evening seen a Leeds try disallowed by the video referee which he had sent up in the green, actually began to signal that he was awarding Hodgson‘s four-pointer without any further checks.

Midway through signalling though, he changed his mind and opted to send it for review, agitating the Leopards faithful – and Lam – in equal measures.

The Papua New Guinean continued: “The whistle blows, it actually blows but he stops blowing halfway through.

“We want the right outcome in the end and if it was me, I’d want to have a look at something like that.

“But what frustrates me is that he (Smith)is right in front of that action and he sees an action that the defender, McDonnell, steps into it. That’s his (Smith’s) opinion in that moment, yet it doesn’t get considered when it goes up.

“The ball gets passed three times, once to Lokie Lam, on to Tesi (Niu) and then Tesi passes it to Bailey… three passes before he scores a try (after the obstruction incident).

“What happens there (for it to be disallowed)? I’m not sure if I know or even if they know? I honestly don’t know.”

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