SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 09: Jason Saab of the Sea Eagles scores a try during the round nine NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors at Lottoland, on May 09, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Graham Annesley has defended the NRL bunker for the role in Jason Saab's controversial try during the Manly Sea Eagles big win over the Cronulla Sharks on Monday evening.

The try, which came early in the game, was awarded to Saab despite it looking as if he had dropped the ball while his body was suspended off the ground and outside the field of play.

The ball, which was put down barely centimetres off the touchline, looked as if it had left his grasp, however, Annesley said that when reviewed in slow motion, his fingertips had remained on the ball.

"It's very difficult to pick at normal speed. In slow motion, Saab reaches out for the ball, grabs it and puts it down. This is a classic example of where the bunker needs to go frame by frame and this is how tight some of these decisions can be," Annesley said.

"There was some discussion about whether it was thought that he grounded the ball or not. There are a couple of things to look at it with his foot and the ball.

"His right foot is clearly just inside the touch in goal line, and the point of the ball is inside the touch in goal line. Even on that freeze-frame, you can see the hands look like they are coming away from the ball, but you can see the fingers. It's a natural reaction for fingers to stay on the ball, and this is where we can get in trouble going frame by frame in relation to contact on the ball.

"I believe the bunker got this absolutely right."

It comes after Kyle Feldt was disallowed a try on Friday evening during the North Queensland Cowboys game against the Brisbane Broncos, with the on-field decision of try being overruled by the bunker.