‘Never seen something like that’: NRL world unloads on double sin bin farce

A stunning double sin bin has left the rugby league world completely baffled after one of the most bizarre decisions of the season.

Both men got sin binned after this. Photo: Fox Sports

The New Zealand Warriors have rediscovered their form after a 42-12 drubbing of the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville.

But a bizarre sight saw a player from each side sin binned with 20 minutes remaining that had players, fans and commentators all scratching their heads.

Watch every game of every round this NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

The Warriors led 28-6 when they were given a penalty just 10m out after Cowboys halfback Chad Townsend tackled the Warriors’ Kurt Capewell without the ball.

Just before, a Warriors bomb was defused by Kyle Feldt, before the New Zealand defence bundled him into touch.

Townsend then came across to show his displeasure with a bit of push and shove.

Referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski then gave the sides a warning for the melee.

But on the ensuing set, the Townsend tackle ignited the bizarre scenes.

Townsend was itching for a fight. Photo: Fox Sports

Despite a penalty immediately being blown, the Cowboys half then dragged Capewell to the ground, leading to the Warriors players sharing their displeasure with Townsend on the ground.

There was very little to the incident but Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita picked up the ball and dropped it on Townsend’s head.

It was such an inconsequential moment that Townsend didn’t react.

So it was a surprise to everyone when Przeklasa-Adamski called out Harris-Tavita and sent him to the sin bin for “throwing the ball”.

Warren Smith said: “No, come one. That’s not a sin bin.”

The NRL has jumped the shark. Photo: Fox Sports

Greg Alexander was about to comment when the referee sent Townsend, citing the fact he’d already spoken to him several times.

“Did Chad even react to the ball on the head?” Alexander said. “What did he do?

“You can’t be binned for that,” he said of Harris-Tavita’s incident, adding: “Why did we need to send anyone to the sin bin for that, from what you just witnessed?”

But there was mass confusion across the board for the situation.

Queensland great Brent Tate didn’t like the look of it.

“I think it’s embarrassing,” he said. “There’s tempers going to flared, it’s a tough game rugby league. I’m not sure about that one. That’s embarrassing.”

That’s not a sin bin offence. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

What was going on? Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

In the post-match, Cowboys coach Todd Payten said: “I’ve never seen something like that before”.

But he also refused to make it an excuse.

Cowboys captain Tom Dearden said he didn’t find out why Townsend was sent.

“I was a bit confused. I got told it was something about escalating the situation,” he said.

“I don’t think the officiating had any effect on our performance or how we turned up tonight.”

Warriors captain Tohu Harris said he felt the referees were trying to make a point of stopping “the niggly stuff”.

He added: “I’m just glad it was on both sides and didn’t change the game one way.”

But Fans were equally baffled.

“Truly the stupidest sin bin I’ve seen in a while. Wtf am I watching …” one fan said.

Another added: “I thought the Harry Grant sin bin was bad. What we just saw was the 2 worst sin bins in the history of rugby league.”

Another was baffled, writing: “That would only be a sin bin if it flared up after the ball was thrown. Horrendous. Then Chad’s can only be for the palm to the face. Which again, nothing happened. Why?”

But the result was already decided at that point.

Despite three of their six Origin stars backing up, the Cowboys were completely outplayed, snapping the side’s three-game winning streak.

For the Warriors, it extends their winning streak to three matches, and along with the bye, have now moved up just one point out of the top eight.

Originally published as ‘Never seen something like that’: NRL world unloads on double sin bin farce