The NRL has changed a key rule mid-season - and this time it was the Panthers who were dudded

It shouldn't come as a surprise to frustrated fans, but on Thursday night the NRL all-but confirmed they've changed the obstruction rule mid-season. And while it was the Panthers on the receiving end of a very lucky call in Round 23 against Parramatta, on Thursday night they were completely dudded against the Melbourne Storm.

The Storm claimed a 24-22 victory in a blockbuster clash between the top-of-the-table rivals, but their first try was a blatant obstruction - at least that's what the NRL told us at the start of the year. For the better part of the last three seasons, the NRL has told fans that decoy runners can't make contact with defenders on their 'outside' shoulder, and it doesn't matter whether the affected player would have been able to stop the try.

But last weekend we saw that rule go completely out the window on the Panthers' winning try against the Eels. And the tables were turned on Penrith on Thursday night when Jack Howarth clattered into Nathan Cleary in the defensive line before Grant Anderson scored out wide for a Storm try.

Based on what the NRL has constantly told us, Howarth's actions constituted an obstruction because he ran into Cleary's outside shoulder and prevented him from sliding across to try and shut down the play. Cleary was little chance to stop the try because the Storm broke the line two defenders from where he was standing, but the NRL has told us previously that doesn't matter.

We even had the farcical situation of the Roosters being denied a try earlier this season because Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 'obstructed' Dylan Edwards 10 metres behind the defensive line and even further away from where the try was scored. But the two calls we've seen over the last two weeks are a clear indication that the rule has been changed - just three weeks out from the finals.

NRL world blasts standard of officiating in Storm victory

Storm great Cooper Cronk said on Fox League: “By the rule that is contact to the outside shoulder of Nathan Cleary who is trying to help (Izack) Tago with the defensive decision. This is such a grey area. We’ve been confused a number of times now. There have been some awarded, some not.

“Nathan Cleary is on the out and Howarth stops on the line. Yes, Tago makes a bad decision coming in which gives (Ryan) Papenhuyzen the space, but if Cleary can get out, it helps Tago defend. The line of Howarth is what makes the play because Papenhuyzen gets the space out the back, and Tago makes a bad decision but Cleary is turned out to help Tago defend and has been impeded by Howarth.”

Maybe it's time to blow up the Bunker and scale it back completely because it's become an absolute joke. And it was never more apparent than when Penrith were awarded a gift two points at the end of the first half on Thursday night.

After Papenhuyzen kicked and found touch from a 20m restart to give the Storm possession, the Panthers challenged and the Bunker official rightly found that Howarth was in front of the 20m line - awarding the Panthers a penalty for offside. But he ignored the blatant fact the majority of the Penrith defenders weren't back the 10 metres, so it actually should have been a Storm penalty.

The standard of the officiating on Thursday night sparked plenty of backlash online, and Storm coach Craig Bellamy said: “I must not know all the rules." Panthers counterpart Ivan Cleary said: “There were a lot of calls and things going on tonight that I don’t know… but at the end of the day they made the calls."