State of Origin III may have produced one of New South Wales’ greatest victories, but the NRL has conceded officials got one of the game’s biggest moments wrong. Less than 24 hours after the Blues sealed the series, the league admitted Bradman Best’s long-range try should never have stood.
The controversial moment came midway through the second half when NSW winger Jack Bostock challenged for a high ball before Bradman Best scooped up the loose ball and raced away to score one of the decisive tries of the match. On-field officials, backed by the Bunker, ruled Bostock had not touched the ball, allowing play to continue and the try to be awarded.
On Thursday morning, however, the NRL confirmed that decision was incorrect.
In an official statement, the league acknowledged the available vision showed the ball “appeared to be touched” by Bostock before Best gathered possession.
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The NRL explained that while the Bunker had access to a corner-post camera angle, officials incorrectly determined there had been no contact from Bostock.
“The ball appeared to be touched,” the NRL said in its clarification.
“The correct decision should have been a knock-on.”
The admission immediately reignited debate around the Bunker.
During the Fox League broadcast, Cameron Smith questioned the decision as replays continued to suggest Bostock had brushed the football.
“I hope he hasn’t touched it,” Smith said during the coverage.
“But if he has, we need to sit down as a sport… and make a decision on where we head with this bunker.” Speaking during Fox League’s broadcast, the Queensland great said the incident highlighted ongoing concerns about consistency in the review system.
Confusion was only heightened because the camera angle used by the Bunker was not shown during the live broadcast, leaving fans and commentators trying to understand how the decision had been reached.
Despite acknowledging the mistake, the NRL maintained the error did not alter the overall result.
Queensland coach Billy Slater also refused to blame the controversial decision for the Maroons’ 30-12 defeat.
Speaking after the match, Slater said NSW deserved the victory despite the officiating error.
“I’m not going to stand here and say that’s why we lost the game,” Slater said after the decider.
The Maroons coach instead praised the Blues for capitalising on their opportunities throughout the contest.
The incident is the latest in a string of high-profile Bunker controversies this season.
Only last week, the NRL admitted Xavier Savage’s match-winning try for Canberra against St George Illawarra should not have been awarded, prompting Dragons interim coach Dean Young to call for a shot clock on Bunker reviews to prevent officials from overanalysing decisions.
While the mistake won’t change the history books, it will increase pressure on the NRL to review how the Bunker operates before the finals.
For New South Wales, the controversy is unlikely to overshadow a famous series victory.
For the NRL, however, another public admission of an officiating error raises fresh questions about whether the game’s most expensive technology is consistently delivering the right outcomes.
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