'Play to the whistle!' Luke Lewis' inexcusable error leads to try
Stand-in Sharks skipper Luke Lewis has copped some of the blame for a controversial Storm try.
With minutes left in the first half, in an already one-sided affair in Friday night’s preliminary final, Andrew Fifita was engaged in some push and shove with Storm back rower Kenny Bromwich.
At the next ruck, Lewis found himself at marker, manning up against the best dummy half in the business, Cam Smith.
However what Lewis did next was simply inexcusable.
Instead of playing to the whistle, Lewis’ attention moved towards the scuffle in back play.
He moved out of marker and towards the fight, rather than marking Smith, who darted out of dummy half and set up a second try for Billy Slater.
Back-rower Jayson Bukuya was equalling to blame, as he was also focused on the scuffle, opening up an easy passage for the Storm captain.
Fans couldn’t believe the error from one of the greatest players to play the game.
Luke Lewis was at marker and was watching the fight instead of tackling.
— Stephen Fenech (@StephenFenech) September 21, 2018
Luke Lewis at fault there. Got sidetracked by the handbags in backplay, Cameron Smith takes advantage #NRLStormSharks
— Billy McGee (@billymcgee93) September 21, 2018
Luke Lewis inspirational leader moving out of marker to get involved in a fight
— Simon (@simon_il97) September 21, 2018
Luke Lewis too worried about the fight in back play, enter Cam Smith. Cost the sharks 4 points #NRLStormSharks
— Brendan Webster (@bj_webster) September 21, 2018
luke lewis walking off from marker to the fifita push n shove gave cameron smith a free run from dummy half. try. poor luke lewis…obviously playing very busted and head isnt in it tonight. #NRLStormSharks
— Danny Coyne (@perfectjet) September 21, 2018
Forget #Fifita. Luke #Lewis at fault for this try #NRLStormSharks https://t.co/aGnNj3sk6Z
— Michael Porter (@mports3) September 21, 2018