Broncos enforcer Payne Haas has shockingly escaped a sin bin for a hip drop that mirrored Ezra Mam’s ugly tackle which resulted in his 10-minute sideline stint.
The young gun playmaker attempted to drag Eels backrower Matt Doorey down, but landed on his opponent’s legs in awkward fashion.
Referee Ashley Klein raised ten fingers for a “classic hip drop motion” according to commentator Warren Smith.
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“It’s hard for a little fella like that to bring a big man down who is running at good speed,” Steve Roach said.
Only two tackles later Haas landed on Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s legs and the Broncos enforcer held his hands in the air, pleading his innocence.
“I think Payne Haas will be gone here too… Campbell-Gillard in all sorts,” Roach said.
“That’s exactly what Ezra Mam did moments ago, given what we have seen tonight… this should be 13 vs 11,” Smith said.
Campbell-Gillard left the field after his legs were spread awkwardly, but Haas somehow remained and Fox League’s commentators were stunned.
“That is remarkable and honestly hard to believe given what we saw barely 60 seconds ago,” Smith said.
“Payne Haas has won the lottery.”
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Eels forward J’maine Hopgood was also sent to the sin bin earlier in the second half for a hip drop tackle.
Of the three hip drop incidents that occurred, commentators believed Haas’ tackle was the worst of the lot.
“As a fan and everyone who is watching the game, they just want consistency,” Roach said.
“I would say out of the three we have seen tonight with hip drops, the Payne Haas one would be the worst, he has already left the field now Campbell-Gillard.”
“It was certainly better than the Hopgood sin bin, maybe the Bunker blinked,” Smith said.
“The fans and everyone who watches the game just wants to see the consistency in it,” Roach said.
The rugby league world was equally stunned.
