Coaches, captains & referee's

NRL referees boss Robert Finch has upheld video official Phil Cooley's decision to deny Brisbane centre Brent Tate a try for double movement.

But the referees boss, in his weekly review, decided another try from the weekend round, awarded to Canberra hooker Simon Woolford, should have been denied for the same offence. The Raiders rake was awarded a first-half try in Saturday's 26-24 win over Cronulla but Finch's report says the hooker reached out for the line after his momentum had stopped.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett says he believes momentum carried Tate across the tryline during their win over the New Zealand Warriors - but the review disagreed.

New Zealand coach Brian McClennan has distanced himself from the vacant Sydney Roosters coaching job.

McClennan is likely to be on a shortlist of candidates to replace Ricky Stuart as head coach of the Bondi Junction club after the New Zealand Rugby League indicated they would not oppose the move. The Roosters' board has a sub-committee to identify possible candidates, although the club has indicated there will be no rush to appoint Stuart's replacement.

McClennan, who masterminded Australia's Tri Nations defeat last year, is also rumoured to be in the mix for the St Helens head coaching position if Daniel Anderson takes over at the Roosters. However, McClennan wouldn't be drawn on whether he was after a role in the NRL.

Meanwhile, Cronulla is reportedly set to approach Stuart about replacing current coach Stuart Raper, although no approach has yet been made.

North Queensland officials are supremely confident fullback Matt Bowen can recapture his scintillating form next season after missing selection in Australia's Tri-Nations train-on squad.

Bowen failed to have the impact expected as the Cowboys, after beginning the season in sizzling form, fizzled out to miss the finals after appearing in last year's grand final. While Bowen was omitted from Mal Meninga's 17-man train-on squad to play PNG at the end of the month, teammates Luke O'Donnell, Johnathan Thurston and Carl Webb were selected.

Andrew Johns will unload most of the captaincy duties for Newcastle's qualifying final against Manly on Friday to ease the pressure surrounding his comeback from a two-match ban for abusing match officials.

Knights coach Michael Hagan reportedly had to talk JOHNS out of giving up the captaincy altogether, with a compromise reached to leave all dealings with the referee to Test backrower Steve Simpson.

Johns returns to EnergyAustralia Stadium and the scene of his infamous round 23 confrontation with touch judge Matt Cecchin which earned him the suspension. Simpson admitted the Knights must mend their reputation for ill discipline with referees starting on Friday.