Paul Gallen has scolded the NRL officials over a “disgraceful” missed call during Penrith’s win over the Tigers, which saw Brad Schneider avoid being sin-binned for a deliberate professional foul on Justin Olam.
During a crucial moment of the reigning premiers’ 22-6 victory in Bathurst, the playmaker ankle-tapped Olam without the ball, preventing him the chance to score a try for the Tigers and finish off a break from Junior Tupou.
Despite the clear nature of the incident, Schneider wasn’t sat down for 10 minutes and allowed to stay on the field for the Panthers.
Speaking on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night, the former rugby league hardman blew up over the lack of further punishment for Schneider.
“That was absolutely ridiculous,” Gallen said.
“That’s a try gone begging, I think they score from that play. He actually dived to ankle-tap him – how isn’t someone sitting in the sin-bin for that?
“That was a disgraceful call, I don’t know how the Bunker missed it. The referee should have seen it, the touch judge should have seen it … that was a disgraceful call.”
Phil Gould echoed the sentiments of Gallen, claiming it should have been a sin-bin.
“What was that?” he asked.
“In a game that is ridiculously pedantic, we pick up absolutely everything. They search with a microscope to find absolutely everything, but then that gets missed.
“It was a big moment.”