No more NSW conspiracies: Cowboys coach

Coach Paul Green has urged North Queensland to put thoughts of a southern conspiracy to bed after the Cowboys were on the wrong end of a highly contentious obstruction call in their loss to Manly.

The officiating howler continues a trend of awful decisions against the NRL club that includes the seventh-tackle try awarded to Cronulla in their semi-final last season and Manly’s ‘hand of God’ try in the sides’ finals match in 2013.

With the Cowboys leading 20-14 at Central Coast Stadium on Friday night, Kieran Foran dummied his way over from close range.

Decoy runner Jamie Buhrer appeared to hinder the attempted tackle of Ray Thompson on Foran and referee Gavin Badger referred the decision to video referees Paul Mellor and Bernard Sutton.

Channel Nine’s commentary team, for one, unanimously agreed it wasn’t a try but the green ‘TRY’ signed flashed up on the big screen to the disgust of captain Johnathan Thurston, who remonstrated angrily with Badger.

“He directly runs at the line and takes him out,” Thurston said to Badger.

“It’s not good enough.”

The converted try allowed Manly to draw level at 20-all.

Thurston landed a field goal in the 74th minute to put the Cowboys ahead before Buhrer scored the matchwinner with two minutes left.

The Cowboys captain maintained the rage after the game. When asked if he thought his side was hard done by Thurston replied: “Very much so.

“Like I said to Freddy (Fittler), when you’re in this jersey and it goes to a video ref, it’s a lottery.”

But Green said the Cowboys can’t afford to dwell on past refereeing controversies.

“We’ve got to move past that as a club,”Green said.

“There’ll be no talking about ‘poor Cowboys, the world is against us’.

“That was just a poor decision. What’s disappointing for the game is that decisions like that are deciding outcomes, and that’s not good enough.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!