Match Details
Match Date	13th Jun, 2016
Opponent	St George Illawarra
Result	Win 34-16
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	James Graham
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	20,153
Referee	Jared Maxwell Chris James

Canterbury posted their first points in three games with a dominant win over the Dragons, but they were helped by a bizarre try which Tony Williams said came via some ‘help from God’. A controversial ‘‘hand of God’’ try that revived memories of a now outlawed play made famous by Dally Messenger overshadowed an impressive return to form by Tony Williams to spark Canterbury to a controversial win over St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium. The Bulldogs won 34-16 but the match turned on a decision to award a try to Bulldogs fullback Will Hopoate after Williams had appeared to pass the ball forward to himself before putting the former NSW star over for a 62nd-minute try.

Dragons captain Gareth Widdop contested the decision after senior review official Luke Patten ruled that Williams had passed the ball backwards but accidentally knocked on after it deflected off his left hand and referee Jared Maxwell explained: ‘‘There was no deliberate push forward. It is not a knock-on unless it touches someone.’’

Even Williams was confused over the decision, saying: ‘‘I think God helped me there. But you just play it as it is and we got the try.’’

The move was compared to a tactic in which Messenger was said to have punched the ball forward over the South Sydney defence while playing for Eastern Suburbs soon after the game was founded in 1908 and regathered to score.

Former St George fullback Ted Goodwin used a similar ploy in a 1970s finals match when he threw the ball over the head of Manly counterpart Graham Eadie.

Frustrated Dragons coach Paul McGregor said he would speak to NRL referees boss Tony Archer about the decision and another one in which Canterbury hooker Michael Lichaa was awarded a try.

‘‘A win would’ve put us in a really good position, fifth on the table. Now we’re 11th on for and against. When you look at the scale of things there it was pretty important,’’ McGregor said. ‘‘Apparently it was passed into his own hand and went forward but that’s acceptable. So you pass it into your own hand and the ball goes forward and you regather that’s acceptable ... work that one out for me please.’’

The NRL insisted the bunker decision was right under the accidental knock-on and forward pass rule, which states: ‘‘If, after a knock on accidentally, the player knocking on regains or kicks the ball before it touches the ground, a goal post, cross bar or opponent, play shall be allowed to proceed.’’

The incident overshadowed a stunning return to first grade by Williams, who made 180 metres in 14 runs during two stints totalling 52 minutes off the bench.

Only starting props David Klemmer (202m) and James Graham (186m) ran further in a Bulldogs team which had 16 offloads and and made seven line-breaks. ‘‘I knew that I hadn’t been playing my best footy but I think the time off helped me,’’ Williams told Triple M.

The introduction of Williams and fellow giant Canterbury forward Sam Kasiano from the bench paid almost immediate dividends, with Lichaa scoring in the 28th minute after the Bulldogs chose to ignore an easy penalty goal and take a tap restart for the second time. Williams had been introduced into the game in place of captain James Graham in the 25th minute and Kasiano was sent on for Raymond Faitala-Mariner two minutes later. The pair immediately caused havoc for the St George Illawarra defence with their charging runs and offloads.

Winger Sam Perrett was the beneficiary of a similar decision by Lichaa to take a quick tap when he crossed out wide in the 15th minute after Hopoate created an overlap before delivering a flick pass to centre Kerrod Holland.

The attacking style employed by the Bulldogs paid further dividends when halfback Moses Mbye scored in the 31st minute after unleashing Curtis Rona down the left flank and backing up to receive an offload from the winger.

However, a 37th-minute try to Dragons back-rower Tyson Frizell reduced Canterbury’s lead to 16-12 at half-time and the home team drew the scores level nine minutes after the re-start. A 58th-minute try to Curtis Rona and the decision to award Hopoate a try followed by a penalty goal took the wind out of the Dragons’ sails and they finished the match looking frustrated.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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