With the ignominy of the NRL wooden spoon on the line, it all came down to this.
For the second week in a row at Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast Titans playmaker Jayden Campbell was at the centre of a late, dramatic and potentially game-deciding moment that has again shone a spotlight on players attempting to manipulate NRL officials.
As the Titans pressed the Rabbitohs line in the 79th minute trailing 20-18, Campbell was taken high in a tackle by interchange forward Tom Fletcher directly in front of the posts.
Despite protests from Titans players and fans no immediate penalty was awarded by referee Todd Smith.
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Rather than stay down to force the bunker’s involvement as has become increasingly the case across the NRL, Campbell played the ball quickly with Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs going on to withstand the raid and win the match.
‘What if this was a semi-final?’
On replays, Fox Sports commentator Steve Roach said the Titans should have been awarded a penalty, and he was far from alone with most observers suggesting the Titans were hard done by not to be given the chance to tie the scores and send the match to golden point.
“Fair play to Jayden Campbell,” Matthews Johns said later on Sunday Night with Matty Johns.
“There was a high shot from Tom Fletcher, there wasn’t a lot in it but if Jayden stays down there, they level up, there’s no doubt about it, but good on him for getting up on his feet.”
“Devil’s advocate here, what if this was a semi-final going into a grand final?” fellow panelist Bryan Fletcher then posed.
Post-match Titans boss Des Hasler was asked about the actions of his halfback, and the officials.
“I’ll let you have an opinion about that, about blokes staying down, you can expect whatever you want (about receiving a penalty) but it didn’t happen,” Hasler said.
“I can’t put words or thoughts into people’s minds so I’m not going to get into hypotheticals.
“It doesn’t do anything, it doesn’t change anything, the only way things are going to change is if the NRL decides to do something.”
Sitting in outright last place with just four NRL rounds remaining, it now looks increasingly likely the Titans will deliver Hasler the first wooden spoon of his glittering 500+ game coaching career.