Nathan Cleary moment that highlighted $1.6 billion 'embarrassment to Test rugby league'

NRL fans and commentators are questioning why there was a lack of visible line markings at the $1.6 billion Hill Dickinson Stadium for the second Ashes Test between Australia and England on Saturday night. And the issue was most apparent when Nathan Cleary nailed a 40/20 kick that almost went unnoticed.

TV viewers were stunned on Saturday night when tuning in for the game in Liverpool, after noticing the usual line markings were missing. NRL stadiums always have the field marked in 10-metre intervals, with both 40m lines usually done in red rather than white.

But only the 10m and try-lines lines were marked at Hill Dickinson Stadium, which was recently built at a cost of £800 million (AU$1.6 billion). The state-of-the-art venue is the home of Premier League football side Everton, and doesn't usually host rugby league games.

It's likely the curators didn't want to mark the field in a way that would have to be erased in time for Everton's next game. The field is also only 94m in length - six metres short of what regulation NRL fields usually are. That means the 10m intervals wouldn't have been 10m apart anyway.

It caused a headache for referee Grant Atkins, who would normally use the line markings to judge how far back he had to keep the respective defensive lines. Viewers pointed out that Atkins seemed to struggle keeping the teams 10 metres apart because he had to judge it with his eye only.

Video ref had to determine Nathan Cleary 40/20

There was a confusing moment late in the first half when Cleary launched a kick downfield that was eventually deemed a 40/20. Atkins recognised Cleary was inside the 40 because he was well short of halfway when he kicked it.

But Atkins and the touch-judge initially had no idea whether the ball had gone out within 20 metres of the goal-line. Thankfully Atkins was allowed to use the video ref to make a determination, who correctly ruled it a 40/20 despite not being able to use the lines to judge.

NRL world blasts 'embarrassment to rugby league'

But the confusing moment sparked questions as to why the field wasn't marked properly according to international rules and standards. Writing for Fox Sports, veteran journalist Paul Crawley described it as an "embarrassment to Test match rugby league".

He wrote: "How in the hell do you have a rugby league Test match played at a state-of-the-art stadium where the referee can’t keep the teams 10 metres apart - because he can’t see the bloody lines? The ground staff were obviously more worried about the next soccer match be played there - and bugger the rugby league.

"It’s just not good enough for what is supposed to be the pinnacle of our sport. As a result, defence dominated the attack of both teams. More than anything else that destroyed the game."

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Peter V'landys and the Australian Rugby League Commission would have been hoping for free-flowing footy with plenty of points, hoping to showcase the game and grow it internationally. But some are now questioning whether the Ashes series should continue after two fairly dour contests where England only managed one try.

The 'NRL Central' account wrote on social media: "No line markings, what a joke. England definitely taking advantage of this, couldn't be anymore offside on every play."

Pro golfer Matthew Guyatt wrote: "One of the worst Test match spectacles. Felt for ref Grant Atkins, no lines on the field, the 10m didn’t exist - offside players in both teams all night - horrible watch. I mean play it where they can put the lines on the field. No wonder league is dying."

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