The officials involved in the obstruction call that robbed North Queensland could be axed after referees boss Tony Archer admitted he had "real questions" about the video refereeing decision.
The obstruction rule was the main talking point from two of the three Good Friday games after controversial calls proved costly for South Sydney and the Cowboys.
The latter resulted in a try to Sea Eagle Kieran Foran despite teammate Jamie Buhrer appearing to impede North Queensland defender Ray Thompson.
The decision was sent upstairs after an initial try ruling at ground level, where video referees Bernard Sutton and Paul Mellor ruled in favour of the home side. In obstruction rulings, the main responsibility falls upon the former player in the box, who in this instance was Mellor.
It appeared a double dose of bad luck for the northerners, with a pass thrown in the lead up by Manly's Brett Stewart appearing to travel forward.
Even the beneficiary, a diplomatic Foran, admitted on Triple M on Saturday "we were very lucky to get away with that one".
Cowboys coach Paul Green and captain Johnathan Thurston were livid with the call, one of a number of tough ones that have gone against them in big games. In the past, officials who have made incorrect calls affecting the result have been dropped and the pressure will be on Archer to do likewise.
Former referees boss Bill Harrigan, who believed the decision to install former players in the box had only led to more errors, said the pair could not remain in first grade next week.
"You only have to look at the first obstruction tick box – did the block runner run through and stop in the line of defence and take away the opportunity for the defensive player to make a tackle? Answer – yes," Harrigan said.
"It was so simple. I couldn't believe they came up with that decision.
"On that decision alone, it would have been enough for me to drop those two blokes."
Archer admitted "there's an angle which suggests the [Stewart] pass may be forward" but he wanted to wait until he had all the available footage before making a definitive call.
Grilled on whether the obstruction call was wrong, Archer said: "Last year we had a black and white rule for the first four to six weeks and it was clear that wasn't acceptable to the game and we brought in a level of discretion.
"This year, every game has a football video referee, which last night was Paul Mellor, and he's responsible, in team with the technical video referee, to determine whether or not the decision should be overturned.
"He has a level of discretion that we have written to the interpretations and then it's a judgment call.
"The reason why I'm using a former first-grader is because they have a good skill base to determine whether or not the defensive line is impeded.
"As a result, Paul determined there was insufficient evidence to overturn that and an obstruction hadn't occurred.
"Obviously, whenever you have a level of discretion, it's a judgment call. I have some real questions over the level he applied."
Asked if he should be dropped, Archer said: "I won't answer that today. I'll go through a full process with that and review it and then I'll make the determination in the early part of next week."
Souths also felt aggrieved about a try awarded to Canterbury's Corey Thompson, believing defender John Sutton was impeded by Josh Jackson. There were also questions why a try was disallowed earlier in the game.
Rabbitohs forward Chris McQueen, a Queensland Origin representative, aired his frustration about what appears to be yet another of rugby league's grey areas.
"It's always a hard one," McQueen said. "I don't think too many people are clear on the actual rule. I thought that one was probably a bit of a clear obstruction. I think if that player doesn't run through the line and interfere with Johnny Sutton, it's three on three and we just number up and make the tackle.
"Obviously Sutt got taken out,so it's three on two, so our winger had to then jam in, which he wouldn't have had to if Sutt didn't get taken out. To me, in my opinion, that's a clear obstruction. I don't know what else someone else has to do to be ruled obstructed."
Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds hinted to the media at his team's recovery session at Clovelly beach that the call was "iffy".
However, Archer backed his men.
"I'm much more comfortable with that decision," he said.
