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Melbourne will be left to rue a bunker no-try call in the second half of their tight grand final loss to Penrith.
Melbourne have been left to wonder what could have been after a would-be try was chalked off by the NRL bunker at a crucial juncture of their 14-6 grand final loss to Penrith.
Down by four points early in the second half, Storm left winger Xavier Coates batted back a towering bomb into the hands of teammate Jack Howarth.
The centre was mobbed by Panthers defenders as he attempted to burrow over and referee Ashley Klein said he had been held up in goal by Izack Tago and Dylan Edwards on Penrith's right edge.
The try was sent for review by bunker official Grant Atkins, who supported the on-field decision despite replays appearing to show contact with the turf through a forest of limbs.
Dissenting cries rang out from the Storm contingent at Accor Stadium, with broadcast commentators also confused by the call.
It was to be the closest Melbourne came to snatching back the lead and midway through Sunday night's second half, the Panthers made it a two-score game.
Paul Alamoti dived over on the right following a Nathan Cleary bomb that was picked out of Will Warbrick's hands by Liam Martin.
The decision came after Penrith coach Ivan Cleary expressed concerns over bunker officiating following the preliminary final defeat of Cronulla, when the Panthers were denied what was later admitted by the NRL to be a legitimate try.