'They got it wrong': NRL admits to costly referee blunder

The NRL has admitted referee Dave Munro botched the ending of Saturday’s Manly vs St George Illawarra clash.

The Sea Eagles were left fuming after a missed penalty looked to have cost them the game.

Manly winger Reuben Garrick looked to have been blocked from making a clear jump at a Daly Cherry-Evans kick by Dragons centre Tim Lafai.

No penalty was awarded to the Sea Eagles, which would have given them a chance to kick a conversion and send the game into extra time.

Cherry-Evans and Manly coach Des Hasler both protested the no-call after the game, with the latter pledging to ask referees boss Bernard Sutton for an explanation during the week.

Speaking on Triple M, Fox Sports’ James Hooper reported NRL football chief Graham Annesley had admitted to the missed whistle.

“I’ve spoken to the NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley this morning, and the Manly Sea Eagles fans are going to be screaming blue murder because he’s admitted the referees got that wrong,” Hooper said.

“It should have been a penalty and Daly Cherry-Evans and the Sea Eagles should have been given the rights to lock the score up at 12-all.”

Sea Eagles fans vent their fury

Shortly after the game, angry Manly supporters took to social media to register their frustration at the no-call.

“It was black and white, there an escort, a player taken off the ball,” Cherry-Evans complained to referee David Munro.

“You were willing to make the hard call when game wasn’t on the line but unfortunately that call needed to be made.”