Roosters players are dissatisfied with the strict interpretation of obstruction rulings, with star Brandon Smith appealing to the NRL for greater discretion. Smith and his teammates feel that players are exploiting contact situations to manipulate the interpretation of the rule.
The controversy arose after a bunker ruling cost the Roosters a try against the Panthers. In that match, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was deemed to have obstructed Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards, even though Edwards was not in a position to affect the play where Joseph Manu scored.
Smith believes that the NRL should avoid strictly black-and-white rulings and cites a similar situation involving the Panthers against Melbourne in round one. He emphasizes that these rulings can significantly impact the game and appreciates when the NRL acknowledges potential mistakes.
The obstruction debate intensified following a ruling that disallowed a Sea Eagles try, where Jake Trbojevic was said to have impeded Eels forward Luca Moretti, allowing Tom Trbojevic to score. Roosters halfback Sam Walker noted that players are now deliberately seeking contact with lead runners in the defensive line to draw penalties, disrupting the flow of the game. Walker argues that the current approach is too rigid and believes that if every play is scrutinized, infractions can be found in almost every instance.
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