Benji baffled as half avoids sin bin for blatant act
Brad Schneider will count himself lucky to have stayed on the field early in the first half as Justin Olam was denied a chance to score.
Penrith Panthers half Brad Schneider will count himself lucky to have not been sin-binned after a blatant act on Justin Olam in his side's 22-6 win.
Twelve minutes into the match, Tigers winger Junior Tupou made a break down the left and passed inside, however Olam fell down and wasn't able to catch the pass.
Originally the Panthers were awarded a penalty after Tupou was offside from Lachie Galvin's kick.
READ MORE: 'Crazy' list of perks Matildas were once denied
READ MORE: Reporter's 'awkward' request stuns sports world
LIVE: Latest news and updates from Saturday NRL action
However, a captain's challenge went the way of the Tigers due to Schneider's act. He wasn't sin-binned, despite league legend Steve 'Blocker' Roach being adamant he should've been sent.
"Surely the Bunker's got to come in there and say that's a professional foul," he said on Fox League.
"He was certain to score ... how's that not a professional foul? How's that not a sin bin?," Mick Ennis added.
At half-time, with the Panthers leading 10-6, Ennis doubled down by arguing Schneider's act was blatant.
"Had to be a sin bin, it was a professional foul ... Schneider just blatantly ankle-tapped Justin Olam, he didn't even have the ball," he said.
"It had to be a sin bin, I'm highly surprised it wasn't."
It wasn't the only frustration for the Tigers in the first half with Aidan Sezer put on report only moments earlier.
The half attempted to put kick pressure on Schneider, however he connected with the kicking leg of the Panthers No.7.
Sezer was originally penalised but eventually, the Bunker intervened and he was put on report.
"I'm really surprised it wasn't penalised at the time," Ennis said at half-time.
Speaking post-match, Tigers coach Benji Marshall was unimpressed with the outcome.
"I've been pretty quiet about the refereeing but I just feel like we're not getting the rub of the green," he told media.
"That trip, I see it as a professional foul in the act of a try-scoring opportunity.
"Justin Olam was supporting to try and score a try and he gets tripped up. How that's not a professional foul and a sin bin? I'll ask for clarification as that hurt us."
However, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary differed, believing Schneider tripped.
"I thought Brad kind of fell over and I guess that's what they ruled," he said post-match.
"It was accidental, he just fell over."
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
Tigers forward Isaiah Papali'i was also placed on report in the first half.
Tries in the first half went to Tupou and a double for Panthers winger Sunia Turuva.
Both sides failed to get on the board in the second half until Paul Alamoti went over for Penrith in the 63rd minute.
The departing James Fisher-Harris put the finishing touches on the game when he scored with nine minutes remaining as the Panthers finished winners.
There was one concern for the Panthers as Dylan Edwards left the field late in the match with what appeared to be a hamstring concern.