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Wests Tigers won’t take legal action, but say ‘everyone knows’ they were robbed of a win against North Queensland Cowboys

Wests Tigers won’t appeal a loss to North Queensland despite the NRL granting it needs to clarify the captain’s challenge rule as a result of the controversy.

The Tigers still maintain the Cowboys didn’t have the right to challenge a play late in the game that allowed a match-winning penalty to be awarded.

But the club will accept the NRL’s call and not pursue legal action despite releasing a fiery statement declaring history would show the wrong team won the match.

“We extracted a concession from the NRL that the obstruction penalty which was given was erroneous and therefore, by implication, Wests Tigers should have won that match,” the statement read.

“We know it, everyone knows it… unfortunately, the history books will not record it that way.”

Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe met with NRL heavyweights Peter V’landys, Andrew Abdo and Graham Annesley last Thursday.

The Tigers’ statement noted “robust and earnest discussions”, saying the NRL admitted sufficient ambiguity in the rule to allow their interpretation.

They said independent legal advice determined they would “reluctantly” not take further action, despite a senior counsel seeing “cogent” arguments.

The Tigers said they did not believe a legal challenge would be in the best interests of rugby league.

A group of Wests Tigers stand around looking abandoned or sit on the ground with their hands on their knees.
The Tigers are currently in 15th place on the NRL ladder.(Getty Images: Ian Hitchcock)

“Litigation is, at best, inherently risky and Wests Tigers is not prepared to commit to what would be speculative litigation, particularly in light of the cogent arguments which are available to both parties,” they said.

While the NRL accepts the last-second escort penalty given to the Cowboys was wrong, it does not agree with the Tigers’ complaint that no challenge was legally permitted as no penalty was made on the field and the siren went.

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