Harrigan backs Origin-sealing try

24 May 2012, 6:04 pm   -   Source: AAP

Referees boss Bill Harrigan says video referee Sean Hampstead was right to award the Greg Inglis try which sealed Queensland's 18-10 Origin I win.

Referees boss Bill Harrigan has backed the controversial ruling which sealed Queensland's State of Origin I win as his war of words with NSW coach Ricky Stuart raged on.

Harrigan on Thursday fired back after Stuart insisted he had been told that as Harrigan left Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, he admitted that Greg Inglis' 73rd-minute try should not have been awarded by video referee Sean Hampstead.

"I trust the person who told me. He's been a friend of mine for a long time and he wouldn't have made it up," Stuart told News Limited on Thursday.

Stuart refused to name his informant but it has emerged that Blues' assistant coach Trent Barrett might have been the one, though Harrigan denies saying Hampstead was wrong.

"I spoke with Trent Barrett but I did not say it was not a try," said Harrigan, who said he would speak with Stuart when the dust had settled.

"It could be a misunderstanding - what was said was something that could have been misinterpreted.

"Right throughout this, I've said I would need to review the game before I made comment.

"At some stage, I suppose we (he and Stuart) will have to have a chat but that's up to him and I when that happens."

Asked if he had learned anything from the drama, Harrigan said: "Yeah - don't talk to anybody when you're walking out of the stadium."

But while Harrigan was happy to admit the referees made a wrong call in penalising Greg Bird for a supposed lifting tackle on Cooper Cronk, he was adamant the ruling to award the Inglis try was correct.

As he attempted to score, Inglis had the ball knocked from his grasp by Robbie Farah's leg. Despite the ball then brushing the Maroons centre's forearm, Harrigan said Inglis had never infringed.

"It's a try," Harrigan said.

"When that ball was dislodged, it comes off the forearm of Greg Inglis - but that's a rebound not a knock-on because he didn't play at the ball."

Harrigan did admit though that had Farah's foot been on the ground when it dislodged the ball, it would have been deemed a knock-on.

Harrigan was in the box with Hampstead at Etihad Stadium, but says he did not involve himself in any of the decision making, even leaving the room as Hampstead weighed up his crucial ruling on the Inglis try.

The new day did little to quell Stuart's anger as he continued to gag his players and staff from talking to the media on Thursday.

There were suggestions Stuart was attempting to develop an 'us against the world' siege mentality to help inspire his troops heading into game two in Sydney on June 13.

Almost comically, while the Blues stood stone-faced at Sydney Airport collecting their baggage, the man at the centre of the try debate was happy to talk just metres away.

Inglis - who along with fellow Queenslanders David Shillington and Dave Taylor travelled on the same flight as the NSW squad - said he could understand the Blues' frustrations.

"I can understand it and I can understand why it's a such a big controversy ... either way it could have gone and it just went our way," Inglis said.

"It seems like everyone's having a go at me.

"I really don't care, it's Origin footy and things can go either way."

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