NRL match reviewers will pore over video footage in an attempt to get to the bottom of an incident involving North Queensland forward Luke O'Donnell and his Sydney Roosters counterpart Michael Crocker in the preliminary final at Telstra Stadium.

O'Donnell was placed on report by referee Paul Simpkins after Crocker was left prone on the ground after he chased a Brett Finch kick in the 37th minute of the match, which the Roosters won 19-16 to set up a grand final decider against the Bulldogs.

"I didn't think there was much in it," O'Donnell said.

"I gave a penalty away. He was pulling me back. He kept trying, he kept pulling me. I swung around and tried to get rid of him."

Crocker's recollection of the incident was hazy and television replays couldn't shed any light on what happened.

However, the NRL's match review committee can call for extra footage.

"I don't really know (what happened)," Crocker said.

"I was coming across, just running him off his line. I don't really know."

That incident was one of several in a match which signalled the end of one of the season's real Cinderella stories.

The Cowboys were in the game until the final minute, with only a Finch field goal and a Craig Fitzgibbon penalty goal separating the sides.

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