Rugby league: Experts divided as NSW denied one last State of Origin play against Queensland

Isaah Yeo attempted to play the ball but the game was blown to a halt. Photo / Sky

Queensland survived a late assault from NSW to claim a 16-10 victory in the first game of the State of Origin series, but the very last play of the night divided footy experts on Wednesday night.

The Blues struggled to breach the Maroons' defence in the second half, but when Cam Murray sailed over for a try with nine minutes left on the clock, the comeback was on.

Murray's try reinvigorated NSW's belief and cut the margin back to only six.

With one final set of six in the danger zone, the Blues threatened to send the game into golden point.

Queensland had begun to slow down the ruck to stifle the Blues' momentum, but that didn't stop Isaah Yeo from careering through the line as the seconds ticked down.

Brought down just a metre out from the tryline by Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga, Yeo got up and Nathan Cleary readied the Blues' attack for one final play.

But as Yeo began to play the ball, the siren sounded and referee Ashley Klein blew the game to an end.

Boos rang out across Accor Stadium as fans appeared to question why Klein didn't either penalise the Maroons for repeatedly holding their rivals down in the ruck or allow the Blues one final play.

Had Yeo been permitted to play the ball quicker, the Blues likely would've had a chance to attack the line with one final play.

"If he scores, the game is surely locked up but instead Queensland survive," Warren Smith said on Fox League.

According to the international laws of the game, if time expires "and the ball has not been played, the referee shall immediately blow his whistle to terminate play".

However, the laws also state that if a penalty is paid, "time shall be extended to allow a penalty kick or a kick at goal to be taken in which case the half is terminated when next the ball goes out of play or a tackle is effected".

Some NSW supporters complained the final whistle was blown before the siren sounded or the clock hit 80 minutes. However, Klein would not have been relying on the siren or the game clock fans see on television to know when to blow the final whistle.

In the NRL, there is a slight delay between the official timekeeper telling the referee through his earpiece that the game has ended and the final siren sounding. The siren doesn't determine the end of the game but the countdown the referee receives does.

A similar controversy unfolded in the 2020 series; at the time, the NRL blamed the confusion on the delay and said the referee had been correct in blowing full-time "early".

Re: end of game. Referee Ashley Klein receives a countdown in his ear. The end of the game isn't dictated by the siren. It is dictated by the countdown he receives

— Brent Read (@brentread_7) June 8, 2022

Maroons legend Cooper Cronk said Queensland's ability to slow the ruck down at the death showed gamesmanship.

"That was a big play as the siren went and Kalyn Ponga with the try-saving tackle and it was a bit contentious," he said.

"I thought the ball could have got away, but it was smart from Queensland to lay over it and (risk giving) away the penalty."

But 10-time NSW representative Braith Anasta said Yeo deserved a penalty or a six-again call for the ruck infringement.

"He should have been allowed to play that," Anasta said.

"It should have been six again and play on. If it is a penalty there, they get to tap and go.

"But if it is six again, if the hooter goes, it doesn't matter."