Warriors v Dragons: Andrew Webster admits team fortunate with key call in narrow win
New Zealand Warriors coach Andrew Webster acknowledged his team benefited from a controversial refereeing decision during their 20-12 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons. The match remained competitive until the final minutes, despite the Dragons' low standing on the NRL ladder.
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Highlights the ongoing debate regarding officiating consistency and the impact of video review technology in professional rugby league.
New Zealand Warriors coach Andrew Webster admits his team were lucky with a big refereeing call in the 20-12 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons in Auckland on Saturday.
The match was much tighter than most pundits predicted, given the joint-venture club are rock bottom of the NRL ladder – with only two wins all season – while the Warriors are second, behind the Penrith Panthers.
It was expected to be a relative cruise but the Dragons continued their recent improvement while the home side were off their game, inaccurate with the ball and patchy on defence, especially in the first half.
It made for a tense contest, with the result only confirmed in the final minutes when Chanel Harris-Tavita potted the second of two late penalties. But the biggest flashpoint came midway through the second half, with a disallowed Dragons try at 16-12.
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