Warriors centre Krisnan Inu insists officials made the right call after awarding his match-winning try late in Friday's 22-20 victory over West Tigers, but coach Ivan Cleary was left fuming over the 9-4 penalty count against his men.
Inu, who was dropped to reserve grade ahead of last week's loss to the Broncos, pulled off the most miraculous of tries in the 77th minute to book a preliminary final showdown with Melbourne and end the Tigers' season.
Half-back Shaun Johnson put in a cross-field kick for Inu who missed the ball with his first attempt and landed on the ground.
But the ball deflected off Tigers duo Chris Lawrence and Lote Tuqiri and straight to Inu who reached out for the line and grounded with his second attempt.
After a lengthy deliberation, video referees Sean Hampstead and Paul Simpkins ruled Inu had not knocked on and was not guilty of a double-movement.
"The ball went up, I did my best to try and get it and lucky enough it bounced in my hands, and I knew it was six-again so I just went for the try," Inu said.
"I knew no one was on me so I just went with it with one hand, reached out and got the call our way so it was good."
Asked if he had touched the ball in the initial contest with Lote Tuqiri and Chris Lawrence, Inu replied: "No I don't think I did, I didn't feel like I did anyway and if I did it would have went back and (Lote) Tuqiri touched it again so it's six-again."
Inu joined the Warriors in the off-season as a prize recruit but has struggled to hold down a spot in the top grade in recent weeks.
The 24-year-old admits fearing he would not get back into the side this season.
"At one point I did, I think the boys were going well and you can't change what's been going well so I was lucky enough to get my shot," he said.
"The boys have been playing well and lucky enough I got my opportunity and I took it with both hands."
Cleary praised his side's character after overturning an 18-6 half-time deficit and says he was always confident the try would stand.
"I'm always sort of confident when Krisnan's involved in stuff like that because he's probably the only guy that can do that sort of stuff," Cleary said.
"I was trying to work out how long there was to go on the clock and get a message to Jimmy Maloney to take as long as he could to kick the goal."
"The boys were able to turn around the things we need to at half-time and I think that's a pretty good quality to have in a team and in the end I guess if you just keep coming sometimes you can jag a win at the end.
Cleary wasn't quite so impressed with the performances of referees Shayne Hayne and Jared Maxwell.
"The last two weeks we've had a combined 7-0 penalty count against us in the first half so that doesn't help – the same two referees as well," Cleary said.
"It (the penalty count) was 9-4 tonight and I think in a semi-final that's horrendously lop sided."
"I think there was definitely some calls there that I think they'll be disappointed with when they look back at it."
The Warriors beat the Storm 18-14 at AAMI Park in Round 7 but lost the return leg 16-8 at home in Round 16.
"We have won there before but I think we'll certainly be outsiders," Cleary said.