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The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Christian Nicolussi
The New Zealand Warriors were accused of illegally blocking the Auckland Dolphins' Jack Bostock from catching high balls during a qualifying final match. Referee Adam Gee did not penalize these incidents, though NRL sources confirmed they warranted penalties. In response, the NRL plans to remind referees to enforce rules against such tactics in future games, particularly the upcoming preliminary final between the Dolphins and either the Sydney Roosters or Cronulla Sharks.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In the NRL qualifying final on November 1, the Dolphins faced alleged illegal tactics by the New Zealand Warriors when centre Jack Bostock was repeatedly blocked from catching high balls. Referee Adam Gee did not penalize these incidents, despite post-game analysis suggesting they warranted penalties. The Dolphins plan to raise concerns with the NRL during training this week as they prepare for upcoming matches. Should similar tactics occur in next weekend’s preliminary final involving the Sydney Roosters or Cronulla, the NRL has indicated it will take action against teams attempting such maneuvers, ensuring fair play moving forward.
Written for “NRL Tackling Controversy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 10050 · logged 2026-09-15
The New Zealand Warriors did their best to illegally block Dolphins centre Jack Bostock from catching the high ball – but the NRL intends to punish the Sydney Roosters or Cronulla if they adopt similar tactics in next weekend’s preliminary final.
asserted
they → do → final
The Dolphins will return to training on Wednesday, and club officials are eager to finalise a list of concerns they want to raise with the NRL following their 26-16 qualifying final win in Auckland.
asserted
they → return → Auckland
One of the Dolphins’ gripes was referee Adam Gee’s refusal to blow a penalty on three separate occasions when Bostock was run off the ball by the Warriors.
asserted
Bostock → blow → Warriors
The first took place in the fifth minute, when two Warriors blocked Bostock’s path to a high ball.
asserted
Warriors → take → ball
Approaching the half hour, Bostock was visibly frustrated when again denied a clean passage to a high ball.
asserted
Bostock → approach → ball
Gee even penalised him for a high shot.
asserted
Gee → penalise → shot
When Bostock scored late, which involved him stripping the ball from Adam Pompey, replays showed Chanel Harris-Tavita trying to again impede his run.
asserted
Tavita → score → run
NRL sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed all three incidents warranted penalties, including the latter had Bostock not scored.
asserted
Bostock → authorise → latter
The same sources confirmed the NRL would send a reminder to the man in charge of next weekend’s Suncorp Stadium blockbuster between the Dolphins and the winner of the Roosters and Sharks to clamp down on escorts.
asserted
NRL → confirm → escorts
The Dolphins have enjoyed plenty of success via the air with Bostock, and hope there was no repeat of the antics at Go Media Stadium.
asserted
Dolphins → enjoy → Stadium
“The rules around walls and escorts are in place so we don’t take elite catchers and elite athleticism out of the game,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf told this masthead.
asserted
Woolf → take → masthead
“I’ll be contacting the NRL to find out why it was allowed to happen to Jack.
asserted
it → contact → Jack
“We got the reward in the end for being consistent with what we were doing [with Bostock], but we also need to rely on the referees making the opposition abide by the rules.
asserted
opposition → get → rules
The one time Bostock was allowed to catch the ball uncontested, he almost scored again with two minutes remaining.
asserted
he → allow → minutes
The NRL has vowed at different times to crack down on escorts and “disruptors”, when an attacking player leaps for a ball without making a genuine attempt to catch it, and for the sole purpose of forcing the defender into an error.
asserted
player → vow → error
The Broncos made headlines in a game late last season when they blocked Melbourne winger Xavier Coates, and were happy to concede a penalty rather than allow him to catch it.
asserted
him → make → it
While Bostock poses a constant threat on the right edge, Herbie Farnworth rubber-stamped his reputation as the best centre in the competition on the Dolphins’ left with another stand-out performance against the Warriors.
asserted
Farnworth → pose → Warriors
There has been plenty of speculation about what Farnworth will do beyond 2027 – the Sydney Roosters have been constantly linked to the powerhouse Englishman – but the Dolphins remain confident they can keep him at Redcliffe, despite Bostock and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also becoming potential free agents on November 1.
asserted
Bostock → link → November
As for what Farnworth could do in the remainder of this finals’ series, Woolf said: “In big games you need the big players to come up with things, and that’s what Herbie did last Saturday.
“His attacking ability and nous is what he is known for, but the things that have impressed me is his defence – he’s improved as a defender and in some of the effort areas that help other players.
uncertain
that → say → players
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