Flanagan disputes Graham no-try

Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan believes video referee Paul Simpkins was wrong not to award Wade Graham a try early in the second half of Monday's frustrating 14-14 draw with the Roosters.

Graham won the race to a deft Jeff Robson grubber and was convinced he planted the ball legally in the 53rd minute of the fiery encounter.

Replays appeared to support the stand-in skipper's belief that he scored, but Simpkins disagreed and the Roosters, who were trailing 10-4 at the time, fought their way back into the contest to force golden-point.

"I thought it was benefit of the doubt at least," a frustrated Flanagan said.

"From the commentary point of view I think (former Penrith and Australian half-back) Greg Alexander's a fair judge ... and he thought it was a try.

"I'm watching the big screen from 200m away and it looked like a try to me, but benefit of the doubt probably at least."

The draw lifts the depleted Sharks to third place on the NRL ladder, but Flanagan says it was one that got away.

"We were in a position there with four-and-a-half minutes to go and we led by six and (were) pretty much in control but we dropped the ball coming out of our end and gave them a set on our tryline and they came up with points, so I do consider it a point lost," he said.

Despite his disappointment Flanagan praised his team's brave effort after losing five players to injury and illness on game day and prop Ben Ross with concussion in the 13th minute.

Skipper Paul Gallen was among the casualties with an abdominal tear, while regular starters Jayson Bukuya (ankle), Jeremy Smith (suspension), Isaac Gordon (flu) and Colin Best (flu) also missed.

Asked how long Gallen is expected to be on the sidelines, Flanagan revealed: "Gal's one's a touchy one, we just don't know how quick it'll heal.

"The doctor was saying to me three days originally, but it could be a week or it could be two weeks ... it's a little bit of an unknown and that's probably max.

"It's just a matter of him feeling comfortable with that small tear in his ab ... but knowing Paul he's frustrated not playing for us at the moment so he'll be pushing everything."

Meanwhile, Roosters coach Brian Smith was critical of his side's negative play during extra-time, as both side's combined for seven missed field goals during golden-point.

Ill-discipline was also a major problem.

The Tricolours scored three-tries-to-two but lost the penalty count 9-2, with former Rooster Todd Carney landing three penalty goals.

"We just didn't play any footy at all in that last period in extra time," Smith said.

"It ends the thing on a pretty ordinary note I think when two teams are playing like that, the referees put the whistles in their pockets and the game just peters out.

"It's not meant to be like that I'm sure. It wasn't the smartest, I need to get us to do some work on that."