Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has avoided sanction from the NRL after his post-match comments on a controversial no try decision.
A normally calm Cleary has took aim at The Bunker for a "terrible" decision to disallow Sunia Turuva's try in Saturday's preliminary final between the Panthers and the Sharks.
With the score 10-2 in the 62nd minute, the Penrith winger crossed in the corner after a set play involving a Nathan Cleary cut out pass and Luke Garner decoy run.
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However, after initially awarding the try, referee Ashley Klein was instructed to take the decision upstairs, where Bunker official Chris Butler adjudged Garner to have obstructed Siosifa Talakai, despite the Sharks centre appearing to initiate contact with the Penrith player.
The decision became more pertinent as Cronulla ended up scoring in the corner two sets later; it had no outcome on the result as Penrith eventually won 26-6.
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Despite securing an ultimately comfortable win, coach Cleary took aim at The Bunker post-match, saying he was concerned at the potential impact such rulings could have on the Grand Final.
"Anxious" Cleary worries about obstruction rule
"It was a terrible decision, and it gives me a lot of anxiety for next week," Cleary said.
"That was wrong, and it's been happening all year, and [Cronulla] shouldn't have even scored, we shouldn't have been down there."
"That [no try] was the one time we sorted our stuff out, ran the play perfectly, [Garner] ran to his inside shoulder. Sifa [Talakai] actually initiated contact.
"That worries me about next week if that same Bunker official - either he or someone else - is going off the same script. I'm concerned."
Cleary spoke about his concerns over the obstruction rule earlier in the season, and he cited comments from Wayne Bennett to back up his opinions on the issie.
"I don't [usually] talk about referees or Bunkers or things that we can't control, but when Wayne Bennett the best of all time came out and said after their game against Newcastle a couple weeks ago [it would have an impact], he is 100% right," Cleary said.
"He said 'someone's going to suffer in the finals', and we got through it obviously, but it's just terrible.
"There's no understanding of what we're actually trying to do, what play we're trying to run [and] when it's run properly.
"We got through the game tonight, but next week [is] the biggest game of the year, and I'd hate for something like that to happen."
He called on those in power to give greater clarity on the rules, and for officials to get the important calls correct.
"I don't know if Graham [Annesley] makes the selection on who's in the bunker, but whoever's in there needs to understand what we're trying to do," he said.
"There's a lot of referees not reffing next week - some of the best in the game - so surely someone can work it out."
The Grand Final between Melbourne and Penrith will take place on Sunday October 6th.
