Leeds Rhinos were beaten by Huddersfield Giants on Sunday hurting their chances in the play off race with Warrington Wolves, Hull FC, Hull KR and Salford Red Devils as the clubs push for the final two play off spots, fifth and sixth.
The game though was hugely controversial with a number of key decisions questioned especially Jake Connor’s drop goal that Leeds argued went two metres wide.
This was a decisive moment as it gave Huddersfield a seven point lead late on.
Rohan Smith was not happy about it at all but his comments prompted a complaint from former Sky commentator Rod Studd.
He also conjured up a radical solution:
“This happened years ago at the very same ground in a cup tie versus saints. We all know the obvious solution is an additional cross bar and a net but RL ploughs on + the only certainty is more incidents like this will follow.”
Smith had said:
“We let ourselves down a few moments there. One of those tries we conceded from a scrappy kick. We got people walking in the background which was one try, bounce pass in the other corner is a bit unfortunate.
“Then there was a play where he looked like he was held. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. So chasing points is difficult in games where the ruck was all over the place and some critical moments in the game were influenced.
“Even at the back end there, we’re chasing the game and the player that doesn’t get to his feet laying on the ground, ends up retrieving our offload when we’re right in front of the post.
“There’s also a stoppage of play when we’ve made a break and we’re about to score on the next play, and we have a two minute stoppage, five minute stoppage, and then the player passes his HIA.”
He added on the drop goal specifically:
“We let ourselves down in a few moments, but there’s a huge amount of spirit there in the second half I thought we’re trying to overcome absolutely everything, including a drop goal that didn’t go through.
“The kicker and his mates are all laughing that it didn’t go through, they were getting ready for a twenty metre restart and seven tackles.
“Everybody has said it didn’t go through. Except the decision makers. A couple of players in the opposition said it missed by a couple of metres.
“Sometimes they’re difficult when you look over the goalpost and you’re not sure if it’s a high kick, but in the end we had opportunities, we had opportunities, but some days it’s hard to overcome all of those things.”
