The NRL concedes referees should not have awarded Cronulla a crucial penalty before halftime in their do-or-die last-round win over the Wests Tigers.

The Tigers were penalised just seconds from halftime when winger David Nofoaluma played the ball without being held close to his own line.

The call allowed Shaun Johnson to break a 4-4 deadlock and kick Cronulla to a two-point lead at the break, before they ran away with the match 25-8 in the second half.

The NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley confirmed on Monday that while the decision was technically correct to rule a voluntary tackle, the call didn’t fit the league’s policy.

“Obviously, it’s a big swing in momentum when the team in possession is penalised, particularly so close to their goalline,” Annesley said.

“The interesting part of the ruling is, technically, the referee was right. Players can’t determine when the tackle is completed and when they play the ball.

“However in this case, given the policy direction I’ve been giving to match officials to try and stay out of the game and keep the game flowing as much as possible, this is an example where there’s no real benefit to stopping the game.

“In my view, I think it’s certainly a penalty we could have done without.”

Annesley said referee Ben Cummins should have called ‘play on’ and counted it as a tackle, as Nofoaluma had clearly thought he’d been held.

Annesley also said the bunker should not have awarded a Nick Meaney try in Canterbury’s win over Brisbane, after Will Hopoate had caught the ball on the inside shoulder of lead runner Corey Harawira-Naera.

It was also incorrect to award a scrappy try to Manly in their 32-16 loss to Parramatta after the Eels had regathered their own knock-on, meaning play should have been stopped.

However, Annesley said Manly prop Martin Taupau had been wrongly penalised for a play-the-ball indiscretion, with Manly on the attack while down 22-16 with nine minutes to play.