'Pretty obvious to everybody': Bennett bashes Bunker

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett has taken a fresh swipe at the NRL’s controversial Bunker system, despite his side’s thrilling win over the Rabbitohs on Thursday night.

The Broncos staged a clinical fightback to overcome the Bunnies 24-20 in a dramatic clash at ANZ Stadium.

But that didn’t stop Bennett from finding fault with the Bunker over a controversial ‘no try’ decision against Kodi Nikorima.

The Brisbane utility crashed over the tryline in the 35th minute but looked to have been held up by some desperate Rabbitohs defence.

That’s the way the referees saw it too as the initial ‘no try’ decision went upstairs for further analysis.

Needing conclusive evidence the ball had been grounded to overturn the initial decision, the Bunker came to the same conclusion as the on-field referees – much to the annoyance of the Brisbane coach.

“It’s hard to justify to me why it wasn’t a try,” Bennet said.

“I’m comfortable enough with those decisions when they can’t make a decision but that was pretty obvious to everybody that that ball was on the ground and on the tryline.

“After that it doesn’t matter what they rule, that’s what The Bunker’s there for to overrule that.”I think I’ve seen a couple already this year where they’ve overruled the on-field call.

“That’s a tough one to call for the ref, if you’re not in line with that (play) and he came from behind the play so I can understand him ruling no-try from his position, that’s what he obviously saw.

“But that’s what The Bunker’s there for to give us those views and those other angles that we sometimes don’t get in normal time.

More concerning for Bennett is the fitness of Josh McGuire, with the lock-cum-hooker spending most of the second half on the bench with an ankle injury.

The Broncos looked in control for much of the second term, however a John Sutton try in the 64th minute set up a grandstand finish.

The Rabbitohs threw everything at the Broncos in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t come up with a match winner for skipper Greg Inglis in his 250th first-grade game.

Nikorima, who was dumped last week from the starting side, sparked the Broncos off the bench.

After being denied the earlier try, the Broncos’ super sub evened up the scores in the 50th minute when he darted between Sutton and Cody Walker.

Winger Corey Oates was also outstanding, running for 213 metres and scoring a barnstorming try in which he beat four defenders when there appeared to be nothing on.

Oates’ try gave the Broncos the lead for the first time before Anthony Milford displayed his vastly improved kicking game with a deft grubber for a flying James Roberts.

With AAP