Storm young gun Jack Howarth believes he got the ball down in Sunday’s grand final in a moment that left rugby league icon Andrew Johns furious.
A pin-point kick by Cameron Munster found Xavier Coates in the corner, who flicked the ball back to a charging Howarth.
Toppling over four Penrith defenders, Howarth looked to have scored but referee Ashley Klein was not convinced.
The on-field ruling of no try was sent for further analysis by the Bunker, with Johns declaring the ball had touched the grass.
“He gets that down,” Johns said in commentary on Nine.
“The ball gets down on the ground.”
Howarth is held up in goal. Nine
Watching the video replay on the field, Howarth raised his arm and smiled as the ball appeared to hit the ground.
Storm legend Billy Slater feared the ball was caught on top of the Storm star’s arm.
“Is that his own arm underneath it?,” Slater said.
Johns interjected: “No, the ball hits the ground. I’m sure the ball gets down.”
Watch a replay of the 2024 NRL grand final on 9Now.
Penrith hold Howarth up in goal. Getty
Much to the dismay of Johns, Howarth was denied the four points and Penrith regained possession.
“When you go into the Bunker there is about 20 or 23 camera angles,” Brad Fittler said.
“Whoever is sitting up there now, which will be Grant Atkins, he will have every possible view. From the one I saw, I have to say his own hand was underneath the ball.”
Speaking to Wide World of Sports in the sheds post-game, Howarth said he was left confused by the decision from the Bunker.
“I thought I got it down – I don’t know what they see differently,” he said.
“We can’t change it now, but it did hurt when that one was disallowed.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy didn’t offer his opinion on whether it was a try.
“It is what it is,” he said in his press conference.
“It went up to the Bunker and came down no try. It doesn’t matter what I think.
Craig Bellamy addresses the Jack Howarth no try in his post-match press conference. Nine
“With all due respect whether it was the right decision or wrong decision, I don’t know.
“At the end of the day that’s not in my control, we’re always preaching our way is to control what we can control.”
