Munster bite drama may add further pain to Storm's dark night
Storm star Cameron Munster was accused of biting Penrith’s Paul Alamoti in the dying minutes of Sunday night’s grand final.
With only five minutes left on the clock at Accor Stadium, Alamoti made a complaint after Munster’s jaw was pressed into the Penrith centre’s right arm. The bunker checked the incident but wasn’t able to make a definitive call.
Referee Ashley Klein put the incident on report.
“I can’t be certain, I just saw saliva,” Klein said.
Earlier this season, Dragons playmaker Kyle Flanagan was banned for four weeks - ending his season - after being found guilty at the judiciary of biting Stephen Crichton.
“I just felt a bite there towards the end,” Almoti told Triple M after full-time. “I know Munster isn’t that type of player, but rules are rules.”
Cameron Munster is accused of biting Paul Alamoti.Credit: Nine
Speaking to the same radio station, Munster said: “Nothing in it … I can guarantee I didn’t bite.”
There was already doubt about whether Munster would be available for Australian selection given the groin injury that sidelined him during State of Origin. A suspension would make that a moot point.
Controversy aside, it was a memorable game for Alamoti, who scored a try and played a crucial hand in another.
Munster is no stranger to grand final controversy and was sin-binned twice in the 2018 decider against the Roosters.
Cameron Munster during the NRL grand final.Credit: Getty Images
Most of the build-up to the grand final centred around Munster’s relationship with Liam Martin. The pair have been involved in a series of on-field incidents, but hugged it out after Munster’s mother implored him to bury the feud.
It wasn’t the only controversy of the night, with Jack Howarth being denied a contentious try. Calling the game for Nine, Andrew Johns maintained Howarth grounded the ball fairly.
While Munster finished the game under a cloud, it was the perfect farewell for opposing No.6 Jarome Luai.
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The Penrith playmaker may be on the move, but he presented Penrith with a parting gift in the form of another sublime performance. Playing his last game alongside Nathan Cleary in a pink jersey - the pair may well be reunited when the yet-to-be-determined NSW coach picks his first team - the pair combined superbly to give the five-eighth the perfect farewell.
Luai has spoken about his desire to be considered a team’s Batman after being consigned to the role of Robin at the Panthers. He could well have been wearing a Superman suit, such was the mastery of his art in the decider.
Whether Luai will experience even a modicum of the success when he shifts from the best to the worst team in the competition appears unlikely. Regardless, it seems fitting he saved his best for last.
Luai was everywhere. His was the last pass, to Sunia Turuva, as part of a perfectly executed left-side shift to provide Penrith’s first try. His hands were involved in the second, providing the switch of play that allowed Cleary to lay on the second, to Liam Martin.
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