Dylan Edwards‘ potential to thwart the contentious no-try during last Thursday’s game may have been undermined by Rooster forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, evidence suggests.
Retrospective data suggests that Edwards possessed the necessary speed to intercept the try in question, especially considering his past performances such as round one.
A central point of debate was the decision by the Bunker to negate Joey Manu‘s try, arguing Edwards was impeded.
Despite the Bunker‘s ruling, NRL‘s head of football, Graham Annesley, questioned the validity, contributing to the uncertainty surrounding Edwards’ capacity to reach Manu.
Information recently accessed, however, strongly asserts that Edwards could have viably attempted to intercept Manu if not for Waerea-Hargreaves’ interference.
In round one, even under more challenging circumstances, Edwards successfully blocked a try from Melbourne’s Nick Meaney during Penrith’s 8-0 defeat.
During the Roosters‘ match, when Edwards was obstructed, it took a mere 2.5 seconds to cross the try line, whereas previously, when faced with a further distance against the Storm, Edwards managed to hold Meaney off and push him out of bounds in only 2.3 seconds.
Edwards surmises he could have prevented the try during their 22-16 victory against the Roosters last Thursday.
Having always believed he would have made it, Edwards said uncertainty caused by the incident had him questioning the clarity of obstruction rules. But whatever the decision, he asserts, it must be accepted gracefully.
Remarkably, Edwards was clocked at a speed of 30km/h halting Meaney, whereas during the Roosters match he was at pace of 22km/h before being obstructed.
Fox Sports’ The Back Page analysis indicated Edwards would have covered the necessary distance running at just 22km/h, with his natural acceleration aiding his chances of hindering the attempt.
Although the Roosters and Storm engaged in similar strategic manoeuvrings, Storms’ leading decoy Trent Loiero avoided contact with Edwards, unlike Waerea-Hargreaves, granting Panthers‘ Edwards an unhampered path, showing clear differences between the two plays.
Annesley urges Bunker to utilise their instincts when making calls.
However, Annesley disagreed with their stand on the particular instance involving Edwards, citing doubt due to distance and the actual location where the try was scored.