RFL confirm golden point decision in defeat by Leeds Rhinos was 'wrong' says Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester

Rhyse Martin kicked a penalty goal for Leeds in golden point extra-time, after Jay Pitts was penalised for a ball steal on King Vuniyayawa in front of Trinity’s posts.

The Wakefield coach revealed RFL referees’ boss Steve Ganson rang him on Monday to say the decision was incorrect.

Chester said he “appreciated the call”, but admitted: “That doesn’t help us.

“We are not going to get the two points, but I thought we deserved something from the game.”

He added: “It is such a hard rule to police, I can’t be overly critical of [referee] Robert Hicks.

“What he has seen is obviously one elbow touch the floor and another that looked like it did.

"The ball-carrying elbow didn’t touch the floor, which means the ball’s not dead.”

Chester, who is on the sport’s laws committee, insisted he is a fan of the golden point concept, but believes both teams should get something from a game if the scores are level after 80 minutes.

In Betfred Super League, the team who win in extra-time gain both points, though if there is no more scoring after 10 minutes the game is drawn.

Before the pandemic, Championship teams each received a point if their game was level on 80 minutes, with another going to the first to score after that.

“I’ve said in the laws committee I think you should be playing for an extra point,” Chester said.

“A draw would probably have been a fair result [last week].”

Meanwhile, Chester confirmed winger Tom Johnstone has been cleared to step up training after seeing concussion specialist earlier this week.

He has not played since suffering a second head injury in as many matches, against Catalans Dragons last month.

Jordan Crowther will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a foot injury sustained against Rhinos, but fellow forward Dave Fifita could feature in Sunday’s game at home to Hull KR, despite a fractured rib.