Penalty try
Current Interpretation
Penalty try
Further, if circumstances warrant it:
‘The Referee (or Review Officials) may award a penalty try if, in his opinion, a try would have been scored but for the unfair play of the defending team. A penalty try is awarded between the goal posts irrespective of where the offence occurred.’ Section 6 (3) (d)
There’s been a spike of penalty tries awarded in 2019. This blew up during the second State of Origin in Perth when Will Chambers was awarded a penalty try despite the centre being the only player chasing through. The decision could have gone either way. Then there was a case in point of a few weeks back at Panthers Stadium where Matt Dufty made an illegal play on Brent Naden in attempting to score. Dufty never made an attempt to wrap his arms around the rookie Panther. It feels like video review officials are making a guess and that can’t be good for the game and it’s fans. There has to be 100% no doubt the try would have been scored.
