NRL

Canterbury Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton has been accused of blatant gamesmanship in the 22-6 loss to the Rabbitohs on Friday night.

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In the 69th minute of the crucial Round 24 clash, South Sydney forward Lachlan Hubner went over for what appeared to be the match-sealing try following a one-on-on strip from hooker Brandon Smith.

However despite getting the ball down the try was disallowed after the bunker ruled that Stephen Crichton had made contact with referee Ashley Klein before attempting to tackle Hubner. 

While contact was indeed made between the two men, Klein was standing to Crichton’s left while Hubner was two metres away with the ball on the Bulldogs skipper’s right — actions that have raised plenty of eyebrows.

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“There’s no doubt that he (Crichton) knew exactly what he was doing,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.

“He knew that Klein was in the vicinity and he knew that any contact at all and the play was null in void, it was over.

“It was a bit of gamesmanship… the officials need to be better than that.”

Former Bulldogs five-eighth Braith Anasta was just as unimpressed with Crichton’s actions.

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“What’s alarming to me is Crichton should be thinking to make the tackle,” Anasta said.

“Instead he’s thinking, how do I milk this? 

“I think he’s a great leader… but that sums up the way (the Bulldogs) were thinking tonight.”

Over on Channel 9 another former Bulldog Johnathan Thurtson was just as critical.

“What does that message send to your teammates?” Thurston said.

“He’s your skipper, he’s played straight to Ashley Klein there … don’t you want your skipper to bite down on the mouthguard to try and come up with a play to stop the opposition?

“He’s just taken the easy way out and that’s what they’ve done all game, just take the easy option.”

The Round 24 loss means the Bulldogs will sit two wins outside the top eight if the Cowboys beat the Eels on Saturday afternoon with just three rounds to play before the NRL finals.

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