The Channel 9 heavyweight was like a broken record after NSW was denied what could have been an Origin-saving try.
Josh Addo-Carr might not be the fastest man on the planet.
And by the letter of the law Corey Allan’s professional foul on the Blues winger in the 77th minute of NSW’s 20-14 defeat in the Origin decider might not have been a penalty try.
But even the most one-eyed Maroons supporter has to admit Queensland dodged a bullet when Allan took out the Melbourne Storm flyer 15m from the try line.
Replays showed Addo-Carr was clearly in front of Cameron Munster, Valentine Holmes and Harry Grant in the race for the ball, which appeared to bounce nicely, making a clean gather by the NSW man highly likely.
One man in no doubt was Channel 9’s Phil Gould, who called the moment like a broken record stuck on loop.
Gould declared Addo-Carr was the “fastest man on the planet” no less than five times, leaving his colleague Paul “Fatty” Vautin and dozens on social media raising their eyebrows.
“Josh Addo-Carr is the fastest man on the planet,” Gould said, as the replays began.
“He’s taken out. He’s taken out. He’s the fastest man on the planet. He’s the fastest man on the planet. He’d have got there.
“He’d have got there. He’s the fastest man on the planet. He’s the fastest man on the planet.”
The video referee sent Allan to the sin bin for the rest of the game but was overheard saying the contact was “too far from the goal line to consider a penalty try”.
Vautin attempted a half-hearted defence of the call, sparking an entertaining back-and-forth that also included lead caller Ray Warren.
Vautin: “There was three Queensland players there.”
Gould: “They weren’t going to catch him, Fatty.”
Vautin: “Addo-Carr might have run past them but it’s still hard to say. They might have got there. It’s the right decision, professional foul.”
Gould: “He was well in front. Munster was not going to beat him to the ball, I guarantee you.”
Warren: “There’s no doubt he was in front of the Queenslanders when Corey Allan interfered with him.”
Gould: “He was in front of them.”
Warren: “The fact of the matter is are you certain he was going to score a try?”
Gould: “I am.”
Warren: “I understand your view point.”
Vautin: “That’ll do me.”
While reflecting on where the series was won and lost, NSW coach Brad Fittler rightly pointed to the first half of game one in Adelaide where his side failed to put away the Queenslanders and paid the price on neutral territory.
But he couldn’t help mentioning the most critical moment in the final minutes of game three as a major what-if.
“The Foxx situation I felt that was … (Allan) getting sin-binned was the best (result Queensland) could get out of it,” Fittler said. “I’d like to back Fox against anyone in that situation.”
Asked if he felt it a penalty try should have been awarded, Fittler said no. “Would he have scored it? Yes. But it’s not a penalty try,” he said.
Addo-Carr made one last deflated approach to referee Gerard Sutton after the final whistle. “That should have been a try mate,” Addo-Carr said. “That should’ve been a try.”
