Parramatta went down 28-18 to Cronulla in the curtain-raising match of Magic Round as the Sharks were able to repel a comeback attempt from the Eels.
Craig Fitzgbbon’s side eased into a comfortable lead early in the second half but were nearly upset for the second straight week as Parra notched two tries in quick succession to apply the pressure.
Yet it was a decision from the Bunker at the business end of the game that got tongues wagging at Suncorp Stadium.
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With Cronulla protecting a four-point lead entering into the final 15 minutes, Ronaldo Mulitalo thought he had given his side another buffer.
The winger outjumped Bailey Simonsson before contorting his body to put down the ball on the line. Under closer inspection though the pill was dropped in the process of scoring to leave Mulitalo empty-handed.
However, Bunker official Chris Butler then turned his attention to the defender, ruling that Simonsson illegally contacted the Sharks flyer in the air.
"Ronaldo has lost the ball but we’re just looking at the right arm of Simonsson to see if he changes from competing to making a tackle," Butler explained.
"Oh my God, come on now," Shaun Johnson groaned in commentary on Fox League.
"They can’t do this! Why do it? This has happened so fast. Stop watching it in slow motion!"
The decision caused confusion in the commentary box with Johnson questioning why if it was a penalty, why didn't Butler just award the try.
"My question, just a question," Johnson said.
"If it’s a penalty for a tackle in the air, how can you not give it a penalty try?"
Johnson wasn’t the only one to be left bemused by the call with Parramatta captain Mitch Moses also perplexed.
"What do you want him to do?" Moses asked on-field referee Peter Gough.
"He’s got his back to him. Where do you want him to go?"
Gough replied that he couldn’t answer the question to which Moses sounded off again.
"If you can’t answer it then it’s not a fair penalty," he responded.
"Mitchell is arguing the case for all rugby league fans," Andrew Voss said. "How can you go from contesting for a kick to being a defender inside one-tenth of a second?"
Parra managed to defend the controversial penalty on their line. But Jason Ryles’ side were unable to hit the scoreboard again as the Sharks instead struck the hammer blow through Sam Stonestreet’s second to see out the match.
"I'm frustrated but I can see where we're heading," the coach said post-match after the loss.
"I don't want to be one of those coaches," Ryles said after being asked about several tough calls going against his side.
"One, I don't have the runs on the board. And two, I don't have enough money to give you my honest opinion.
"I'll have to get a loan off Mitch," he smiled while looking at his No.7 when pressed on the Simonsson decision.
"It is what it is. I'm not going to be the guy that comes in here and [complains]."