Andrew Johns expressed astonishment at referee Adam Gee’s decision to send Marata Niukore to the sin bin for a high shot on Moses Suli, which resulted in Suli being unable to continue the game due to category one symptoms from a head injury. The Dragons center had to exit the match, and the Warriors ultimately won 48-18. Shaun Johnson, dismayed by the ruling, could be heard shouting “no way” in response.
Andrew Johns was also taken aback by the decision and voiced his disbelief during Nine’s coverage. He commented, “Really? For that? In this situation, when you watch it in slow motion, Niukore’s movements show he’s prepared to tackle, but at the last moment, Suli drops his body position, causing his head to collide with the shoulder.” Johns argued that in real-time, it would have been impossible for the defender to adjust his tackling trajectory. He deemed it a difficult call.
Cameron Smith echoed the sentiment, stating that Niukore faced challenges in changing his positioning. Smith acknowledged the clear high contact but emphasized the difficulties faced by players in situations like this, where a powerful player like Moses Suli suddenly changes direction with late footwork.
Despite the sin binning, the Warriors did not suffer significant consequences and continued to dominate the Dragons. Paul Gallen noted on Nine’s coverage that even home fans left the game early as the Warriors built a strong lead of 20-6 at halftime. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Marcelo Montoya, Bayley Sironen, and Jackson Ford scored tries for the Warriors in the first half.
Shaun Johnson revealed that coach Andrew Webster’s motivating speech at halftime inspired the team to a dominant second half. The Warriors faced adversity early in the second half after Niukore was sent off and Zane Musgrove scored for the Dragons three minutes later. However, Watene-Zelezniak, Johnson, and Rocco Berry extended the Warriors’ lead even while playing with 12 men. Watene-Zelezniak ended the game with four tries, and Francis Molo scored the other for the Dragons.
Throughout the match, Cameron Smith praised the Warriors’ improved performance and regarded them as a formidable team when their attack is in sync. He commended their progress and stated that they can make top-four contention, making any opponents in the finals nervous.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
