The NRL is adamant officials made the right call to penalise Manly's Christian Tuipulotu for a high shot against Parramatta despite the winger escaping charge by the match review committee.
Manly spent Saturday assessing the fallout from Friday night's 22-20 loss to the Eels, with Tom Trbojevic's dislocated shoulder requiring surgery, all but ending his season.
Coach Des Hasler was furious over several late calls after Parramatta made use of a bulk of late possession to come from behind in the dying minutes.
Hasler's chief grievance remains the decision to penalise Tuipulotu for a high shot on Hayze Perham, after he rushed across in cover defence and forced him out near the corner.
On-field officials initially deemed the tackle legal before the bunker reviewed it and claimed the contact was high and ensured a penalty was blown.
The Eels remained on the attack for the next four minutes before scoring the match winner.
Tuipulotu was not charged on Saturday, but NRL football bosses were privately adamant the right call was made, arguing slow-motion replays and still shots show contact with the head.
They were also insistent that while mitigating factors meant Tuipulotu did not need to be charged, an on-field sanction was warranted.
"Although there is contact with the head, the action was not deemed careless," match review committee chair Luke Patten said.
"The Manly defender is aiming at the body and is not on an upwards trajectory.
"The ball carrier drops in height just before impact. The on-field penalty was considered sufficient action."
The call was one of several in the last 10 minutes that upset Hasler, who also claimed Parramatta's last pass for their match-winning try was forward and that the Eels earned a repeat set from an offside kick-chaser.
"It wasn't high," Hasler said of the Tuipolotu tackle.
"It was a good tackle. It was a brave tackle. They're called a try save.
"The idea of the game is defence and the idea of a try save is to come up with big plays.
"It was a great play. It just adds to the disappointment on the result on the back of a 9-2 penalty count. They got legged back into the game.
"Some very dubious calls ... I'm sure Benny (referee Ben Cummins) will review his game."
The NRL is still to review the match in full, but AAP understands they believe there were no serious blunders.
But Manly players remain miffed over the Tuipulotu call.
"A bloke running 30km/h across the field in wet conditions, another bloke slips, I don't know where you're meant to go or what you can do there," Reuben Garrick said.
"The mind boggles."
Manly will at least have Sean Keppie and fellow forward Haumole Olakau'atu available for Thursday night's match with Melbourne, both able to take fines for a dangerous throw and crusher tackle respectively.
