The Sydney Roosters are into their third straight NRLW grand final after a 20-10 win over Canberra, but Raiders coach Darrin Borthwick was left fuming after a bunker ruling denied his team a try at Allianz Stadium.
With the Roosters leading 10-4 early in the second half on Saturday night, Raiders forward Lili Boyle swerved in a tackle and forced her way over the line, only to have referee Kasey Badger rule a no-try because she said Roosters winger Brydie Parker’s boot was under the ball.
Raiders players celebrated, but the bunker looked at several replays before upholding the on-field decision.
Borthwick said it changed the momentum of the game because his team could have levelled at 10-10.
“Absolutely it was (the turning point). It’s hard to say where that game would have went if we had got that one,” he said.
“It’s a try every day of the week. Our game is going crazy to be honest.”
Borthwick said he had his own statisticians in the coach’s box going through the replays and they could see the ball being grounded.
“I find that hard to believe that it wasn’t awarded a try,'' he said.
“Someone riding a skateboard out the front could do a better job at the moment.”
Even Roosters coach John Strange thought it was a try on his initial viewing from the stands.
“But then looking at the replay you could tell that she didn’t (ground the ball),” he said.
“Brydie’s pink boots got under there in the end.”
Strange was more upset at fullback Sheridan Gallagher’s hair-pull on Isabelle Kelly ending the Roosters skipper’s 50-metre dash downfield, which looked for all money like being a try.
“The hair-pull as the last line of defence to stop Izzy scoring, if that’s not a professional (foul) then I’m not sure what is,” Strange said.
“I don’t think it was a penalty try, but it should have been 10 (minutes) in the bin.”
Despite all the drama, the Roosters were the dominant side on the night, with four tries to two.
But the final eight minutes were fairly frantic, with only a converted try between the sides after Canberra's England international Hollie-Mae Dodd scored.
But then Roosters halfback Tarryn Aiken ended the debate with a superb angled run to the line in the 67th minute to give herself a shot at redemption, after missing last year’s grand final with an ACL tear.
The Roosters have enjoyed a stellar weekend after the club’s NRL side won their preliminary final against the Dolphins in Brisbane on Friday night.
The Roosters' NRLW team are still nursing the hurt from losing the 2025 decider to the Broncos and would love to add to their 2021 and 2024 premierships when they play in the October 4 grand final.
The only sour note to Saturday night’s win was winger Jayme Fressard hurting her shoulder and going for scans.
She had scored the Roosters' opening try in her first game back after a month out with a hand injury.
