Determined Bulls chairman Peter Hood has sensationally challenged Leeds to hand over two Super League points after under-fire referee Steve Ganson conceded: I got it all wrong.
In an unprecedented move, Ganson yesterday admitted he was guilty of a howling error that cost gutted Bulls victory over Rhinos in Sunday's controversial 42-38 defeat.
Although Bradford accepted the official's belated apology, they are not happy at being denied the points that would have sent them top of Super League.
After a day of remarkable developments, Hood further rocked the rugby league world by urging their arch-rivals to "do the right thing" and relinquish the points earned through Ganson's gaffe.
He said: "I have seen match official Ganson's apology to the rugby league community and in particular to the Bradford Bulls' players, officials and supporters in relation to his ill-judged decision not to go to the video referee in the dying seconds of the Millennium Magic clash.
"This decision by Mr Ganson decided the outcome of the game.
"I also want to take this opportunity to publicly place on record my sincere appreciation to Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington for his kind words of consolation in the immediate aftermath of the game, and for his honesty in recognising the injustice of what we had together witnessed.
"I also thank the Leeds head coach Tony Smith for his honest comments reported in the media.
"The Leeds Rhinos club is justifiably a proud club, with a great tradition, and a club which above all values its reputation for right and fair-dealing in everything it does.
"For these reasons I shall be inviting the Leeds Rhinos to do the right thing again now, for the benefit of their own reputation certainly, but also for the good of the great game of rugby league and of the Super League - namely, to voluntarily hand over to Bradford Bulls what is, as the whole game now acknowledges, rightfully ours - the two points so cruelly taken from us by Mr Ganson's failure to act."
The chances of Leeds complying with Hood's wishes are negative to say the least - especially considering the two clubs are involved in a legal dispute over Iestyn Harris - but Gansongate has already produced some astounding repercussions.
Hood, continuing on from boss Steve McNamara's furious post-match comments after Jordan Tansey's controversial last-second try denied the Bulls a deserved win, is also seeking more answers from the RFL.
"While Mr Ganson's apology is fine as far as it goes, and gratefully acknowledged, sadly he omits any mention of why the penalty' was awarded in the first place and importantly - by whom?" he continued.
"There was no infringement by a Bradford player - this is clearly confirmed by the video evidence.
"Sadly, there is no mention either of what role, if any, video referee Ashley Klein played in assisting' Mr Ganson not to go to the screen.
"Later in the week, therefore, we shall be demanding an answer to these and maybe other questions - such as the no small matter of Mr Klein's other contributions to the outcome of game - from RFL Match Officials Director Stuart Cummings.
"Finally, I wish to place on record that the board of Bradford Bulls stands shoulder-to-shoulder with head coach Steve McNamara in relation to his comments to the media after the game. In the unique circumstances of this game, his candour was both understandable and forgivable."
McNamara was seething following the officials' handling of the final few moments of epic derby at the Millennium Stadium.
Substitute Tansey pounced in the final second to give the Rhinos victory after he followed up a penalty kick for goal by Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield that rebounded off the crossbar.
But the Bulls, leading by two, were furious over Ganson's decision to award the penalty, arguing they should have had a scrum for a Leeds knock-on, and claimed that Tansey was offside from the kick.
McNamara was incensed that Ganson didn't refer the decision to the video referee and felt his side had been "cheated" out of a win.
His request for the official to appear at the post-match press conference to explain his ac-tions fell on deaf ears but Ganson released a statement yesterday afternoon admitting his guilt.
"It is clear that I made the wrong decision in awarding Jordan Tansey's try," he said.
"In hindsight, I wish I had referred the decision to the video referee.
"At the time, my focus was on ensuring that the Bradford Bulls players were not putting off the kicker, rather than ensuring all the Leeds Rhinos players were onside.
"I didn't refer the decision to the video referee as both touch judges, who were stood behind the posts awaiting the conver-sion, had a good view of the grounding and I didn't feel the need to check for offside as it's very rare that players from the attacking side are in front of the kicker. However, the video footage shows that I was wrong.
"I would now like to offer an unreserved apology to all those concerned, especially the players, officials and supporters of the Bradford Bulls."
The Bulls have had their run-ins with Ganson in the past, not least last season's Grand Final elminator at Hull and against Widnes in 2005 when Jamie Peacock labelled the whistle-blower a "joke".
This is the first time in Super League history a referee has been forced into an apology. However, the RFL would not comment about whether full-time Ganson would be axed for this weekend's Carnegie Challenge Cup contests or any future Super League games or whether Klein would face punishment.
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