The NRL is set to review the conduct of Penrith trainer Corey Bocking on Monday, following a controversial sideline incident that may have impacted the Panthers’ dramatic 30-26 golden point win over the Gold Coast Titans.
The contentious moment unfolded with five minutes remaining, just after the Titans scored to take a 26-24 lead. Jayden Campbell stepped up for a sideline conversion that, if successful, would have stretched the margin to four points.
However, Bocking ran directly in front of the Titans playmaker, disrupting his routine and forcing him to reset – ultimately resulting in a missed kick.
During the incident, Fox Sports commentator Andrew Voss described the act as “absolutely disgraceful.”
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“You can’t make that mistake, unbelievable. Come on. Have you ever seen that? Have you ever seen that?” Voss said.
The missed conversion proved costly, as Penrith quickly responded with Nathan Cleary slotting a two-point field goal to tie the scores at 26-26, sending the game into golden point, during which Blaize Talagi eventually scored the winning try.
While the club has insisted the incident was accidental and without malice, the NRL is expected to issue a breach notice following its routine Monday review of in-game matters.
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We had a sub and I changed it at the last minute,” Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said during his post-match press conference.
"He was trying to communicate with the bench for a late change. There's a lot of stuff going on.
"That's why there was a bit of confusion. It was an honest mistake. He apologised straight away.
"I'm happy to say we've apologised. It's not something anyone set out to do."
There is a recent precedent for suspending trainers in similar circumstances, with Penrith’s Shane Elford and North Queensland’s Mitchell Dunn both previously suspended after incidents involving the use of water bottles to interfere with play.