Warriors second rower Marata Niukore was controversially sin-binned by the Bunker for an alleged hip-drop tackle on Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai on Sunday.
The incident wasn’t picked up by referee Ben Cummins but the Bunker intervened several plays later when the action had already moved 50 metres down field.
The decision left Fox League commentators Shane Flanagan and Andrew Voss stunned after replays showed a relatively straightforward tackle in the 39th minute.
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“The bunker has done a review on the run and found a hip drop during the set on Talakai we’re told. Can’t support it,” Voss said.
“I can’t support it either, oh and now a sin bin,” Flanagan responded.
“Have you seen the size of Talakai, how would you try and tackle him from behind? How would you?,” Voss said.
“I don’t think he tried to tackle him from behind. He actually hit him in the front and the power of Talakai pushed him around to the side and there was no intention for hip drop for me,” Flanagan said.
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Flanagan then went one step further and said Niukore should not have even been penalised.
“It was just a powerful run by Talakai, he gets the defender off to the side, there’s no deliberate action to put weight on the back of the leg, that’s just the way football is sometimes, especially with a powerful runner like Talakai,” he said.
“Shouldn’t even have been a penalty for mine.”
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Corey Parker agreed Niukore could count himself unlucky.
“Absolutely it was a tough call, he was trying to stop Siosifa Talakai who is such a powerhouse runner,” Parker said.
“He made contact, he was pushed to the side and it was deemed to be a hip drop. I don’t see where he’s supposed to go in that instance, he was just doing his best to hang on.”
Cronulla captain Dale Finucane was then binned for a hip-drop tackle in the 75th minut and was incredulous when Cummins marched him.
“This is sin bin, the marker was set in the first half,” Voss said.
“I defended Niukore and I could probably mount a case for Finucane.
Shaun Johnson booted a penalty goal from 36 metres out in the 80th minute to win the game 32-30.
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