'Your brain’s shrinking': Phil Gould blasts Paul Gallen over obstruction debate

Veteran NRL reporter Gus Gould has hit out at Sharks legend Paul Gallen after an argument over the controversial obstruction rule during the Cronulla match against the Dragons.

On Sunday night the Sharks were beaten 30-16 by previously winless St George Illawarra at Campbelltown Stadium.

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But two contentious Bunker decisions prompted a heated argument between Gould and Gallen.

Heading into half-time with a 18-10 lead, Gould took exception to both disallowed tries.

“Don’t talk to me about obstructions,” Gould said.

“The people in the Bunker have absolutely no idea what obstruction is and people that support these types of rulings in the media have got no idea how to play the game.”

The first try denied saw Matt Dufty brought back after Zac Lomax ran a decoy and hit Chad Townsend and also prompting Josh Dugan to stumble.

Sharks’ Shaun Johnson was denied in the second incident after the lead runner collided with the Dragons’ Ben Hunt on the inside shoulder.

Gould did not agree with either decision and blasted the Bunker for following calls from the media to make the rules clear.

“Both were really poor defence, no one was obstructed and we pull it up and give it a different interpretation in the Bunker,” he said.

“A lot of these things happen in general play 50 times, they just let it go.

“When a try is scored, we send it upstairs and put a different interpretation on it. The interpretation is flawed, it’s obstructions, somebody has to actually be obstructed. No one was obstructed in either play. Poor defence was rewarded with a penalty on both occasions. Stop referring it to the Bunker.

“They’ll keep doing it because there are morons in the media who will keep supporting those decisions. There are people who know absolutely nothing about the game who will keep supporting it because they want a black and white interpretation that they can understand in their tiny little brains.

“Drives me insane.”

But Gallen was split on the decisions, agreeing with the Bunker on Johnson’s, but said Dufty’s try was fair.

Gould blasts Gallen in on-air spat

This prompted Gould and Gallen to argue over the interpretation.

“Well your brain’s shrinking,” Gould told Gallen.

“I’m with you on this one, I’m trying to help you out here,” Gallen replied.

“What the Bunker’s got to understand is the space the Dragons are trying to exploit.

“But I think the Sharks one was a no try, you can’t catch the ball on the inside shoulder of the lead runner, Gus, it’s a black-and-white rule.”

However, Gould was having none of it adding: “But it’s a stupid rule.”

Gallen finished claiming he should enter head office and fix it up, if he felt so passionately about it.