The decision to sin bin Chad Townsend and Chanel Harris-Tavita in the Warriors’ 42-12 win over the Cowboys has been heavily criticised, with one NRL great labelling it “embarrassing”.
The rare double sin bin took place late in the second half, with Townsend binned for his role in the minor skirmish, while Harris-Tavita was punished for dropping the ball on the Cowboys halfback’s head.
While both players certainly were in the wrong, Cowboys great Brent Tate said it was an “embarrassing” call to send both to the bin, adding the decision left him “perplexed”.
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He wasn’t the only one either, with both Greg Alexander and Warren Smith confused by the call in commentary.
“Did Chad even react to the ball on the head? Seriously? You can’t be binned for that” Alexander said.
“He didn’t throw it. He dropped it… why did we need to send anyone to the sin bin from that?”
“No. Come on. That’s not a sin bin,” added Smith.
Speaking in his post match press conference, Cowboys coach Todd Payten said he’s “never seen something like it (the sin bin), while co-captain Tom Dearden said he was “a bit confused” at the time.
Clarifying why Townsend was sent to the bin, Dearden said “it was something about escalating the situation.”
However, both men were adamant the decision had nothing to do with their 42-12 loss to the Warriors.
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“The officiating had nothing to do with the result,” Payten said.
“I don’t think the officiating had any effect on our performance or how we turned up,” Dearden added.
In his post game press conference, Warriors skipper Tohu Harris said he felt “they (the refs) were just trying to make a point of stopping that from carrying on, the little niggly stuff.”
“I’m just glad it’s on both sides and it didn’t change the game any other way.”