The NRL has formally admitted the bunker made a critical error in allowing a NSW Blues try during Wednesday night's State of Origin Game III decider at Lang Park, conceding that debutant winger Jack Bostock had knocked the ball forward before Bradman Best scored what proved to be a match-sealing try.
The admission came in a post-match statement released after the Blues completed a 30-12 victory on Queensland soil to claim the series — a result that has now been significantly clouded by the officiating controversy. You can relive the best moments from the decider as the dust settles on an extraordinary night.
What happened in the lead-up to the disputed try
The incident occurred in the 57th minute, with Queensland trailing 18-8 but carrying genuine momentum after scoring just minutes earlier. The Maroons were threatening to claw their way back into the contest when a kick to the goal-line produced an aerial contest between Queensland winger Jojo Fifita and Blues debutant Jack Bostock.
The ball came down and was gathered by NSW centre Bradman Best, who ran the full length of Lang Park to score and push the Blues' lead beyond the reach of two converted Queensland tries. It was the kind of moment that effectively ended the contest.
The bunker spent considerable time reviewing the play, examining multiple angles to determine whether Bostock had made contact with the ball and knocked it on before Best collected it. Ultimately, the video review officials allowed the try to stand — a decision the NRL itself has since repudiated.
NRL's post-match admission
"After reviewing all available angles, the bunker did not believe there was sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field decision," the NRL said in its statement. "Upon detailed review after the match, the NRL believes that while it was an extremely tight decision, the ball appeared to be touched."
In plain terms, the governing body is saying that the try should not have been awarded — a remarkable concession given the magnitude of the match and the moment.
Adding further context to the controversy, Wednesday's game was affected by a Telstra communications outage that severed the usual link between the centralised bunker facility in Sydney and Lang Park. A makeshift video review operation was set up inside a television truck at the ground to handle reviews for the evening.
Commentary and calls for review
Former NSW representative Luke Lewis, who played 17 State of Origin matches and was calling the game for ABC Sport, said at the time he believed Queensland had been wronged.
"I'm NSW and I think that comes off his hands," Lewis said. "You can see his fingers may move. I think Queensland was ripped off."
Former Queensland captain Cameron Smith, speaking after the match, said the bunker system required urgent scrutiny in light of the error.
"If that's touched his hand and it's proved to have touched it, we need a serious review of the bunker," Smith said. "I'm disappointed that Queensland lost. Would that have changed the result? Probably not. But it was at a pretty crucial point in the game."
Smith's assessment that the result may not have changed is notable — at the time of the try, NSW already held a 10-point lead, and the Blues went on to win by 18. Nevertheless, a disallowed try at that moment would have kept Queensland within striking distance during a purple patch.
Implications for the bunker system
The incident raises serious questions about the reliability of the bunker — not only in terms of the decision-making itself but also about the operational contingencies in place when technical failures occur. The communications outage that forced officials into a makeshift setup is certain to draw scrutiny in the days ahead.
For NSW, the series victory stands — the Blues' series triumph was built on a dominant collective performance — but the manner in which the decider was settled will be a subject of debate well into the off-season.
