NRL backs controversial Slater try call

Bernard Sutton backed the officials' call that Slater intentionally drop kicked the ball before scoring in the 10th minute at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Slater dropped the ball when shaping to kick close to the line but still toed it ahead to claim a try.

But Slater didn't get excited after pouncing on the ball and tried to cut short his teammates' celebrations, telling them he had knocked on.

Yet the bunker gave the green light - a decision Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett described as a "game changer".

Sutton backed the officials, saying drop kicks can occur at any time in the game and were not limited to field goal attempts.

"The on-field official asked the bunker to confirm that Billy Slater had drop kicked the ball and not knocked on," Sutton said.

"For this to be a drop kick the ball must be intentionally released from the hands and then kicked immediately after it rebounds from the ground.

"It's important to note that a drop kick can occur at any point during a match and does not have to be an attempt at a field goal.

"With that in mind the bunker correctly confirmed the live decision of try."

Even Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy thought Slater had knocked on.

"I thought to be quite honest it was probably a dropped ball," he said.

"But I wouldn't put my house on it because I didn't know the rule.

"I probably would have thought if you were doing a drop kick you would be looking for a field goal but he certainly wasn't trying to kick a field goal.

"If I was sitting up in the box I probably would have went red."

Bennett said the NRL had now set a precedent.

"That's a game changer if that's to be the standard going forward because it was never intended to be a drop kick and the ball hit the ground," he said.

"So what are we saying now? If we knock the ball on and still kick at it it's a drop kick?

"He definitely lost the ball.

"If we drop a ball and all of a sudden kick at it can we get away with a knock on?"

Australian Associated Press