NRL 2022, round 2: Penrith Panthers defeat St George Illawarra Dragons, Jaydn Su’a sin bin, Viliame Kikau two tries

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin will seek clarity from the NRL about the concussion guidelines after a controversial sin-binning proved a major turning point in his side’s loss to Penrith.

The Panthers celebrate Spencer Leniu’s try against the Dragons. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin has questioned why Penrith halfback Sean O’Sullivan was not removed from the game indefinitely following a controversial sin-binning decided his side’s Friday Night Football clash with the reigning NRL premiers.

While the Panthers hung on, at times desperately, to win 20-16 at Kogarah Oval, all the talk afterwards was about an incident in the 28th minute when Dragons No.12 Jaydn Su’a was sin-binned for a late shot on O’Sullivan.

Despite staying on the ground for over a minute, receiving treatment from a Panthers medico and eventually being removed from play by the independent NRL doctor, the young No.7 was allowed to eventually return after clearing his tests and play out the game.

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Across the corridor meanwhile, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary suggested the Dragons were lucky not to have English recruit George Burgess also sin-binned on a night where the home side lost not just Su’a for 10 minutes, but also centre Zac Lomax.

Only a week after Roosters coach Trent Robinson expressed frustration at the NRL concussion rules, both Griffin and Cleary have again put head knocks back the spotlight following a hectic match on which the first sin bin changed everything.

Jaydn Su’A was sent to the sin bin for a hit on Panthers halfback Sean O’Sullivan. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Cleary said he wants NRL independant doctors to make calls at games, not from the offsite Bunker, while Griffin questioned why the Panthers halfback had not been removed from the game in the first half despite being “obviously concussed”.

Elsewhere, both sides suffered worrying injuries to key players, with Dragons No.9 Andrew McCullough (dislocated elbow), Panthers winger Brian To’o (knee) and prop James Fisher-Harris (shoulder) all failing to see out the match.

Afterwards however, the most contentious moment centered around the bloke who played out the game – Panthers No.7 O’Sullivan – and the sin-binning of Su’a after hitting him late with 28 minutes gone.

A moment that, with the Dragons reduced to 12, and the scores still locked six-all, would see the visitors then score an unanswered 14 points.

After taking on the line deep in the Dragons red zone, O’Sullivan passed left, which is when the Dragons No.12 launched and whacked him late, albeit within a blink of the Steeden disappearing.

The halfback then laid on the ground for more than a minute, and received treatment, before eventually returning to his feet. The 23-year-old was eventually removed from play at the instruction of an independent NRL doctor, overseeing proceedings from The Bunker.

O’Sullivan then eventually returned to the field after his assessment and played out a game that also saw Lomax sent to the bin for a professional foul.

While Griffin afterwards had no problem with the Su’a call – “if they’re the rules, they’re the rules” – the coach said he would seek clarity on why O’Sullivan had not been required to miss the rest of the game under the new NRL concussion guidelines.

In round one, Roosters coach Robinson admitted frustration after two of his players – Victor Radley and Bill Smith — were taken from the field by independent doctors and deemed ‘Category 1’, meaning they couldn’t return.

Dragons hooker Andrew McCullough left the field with an injury. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

“I’m still confused,” Griffin said post match. “Young O’Sullivan laid on the ground for a minute, I thought that was a straight Category A.

“That was my understanding. And that he wouldn’t return.

“I thought that’s what we were there to protect.

“That’s just me with the rule. So I’ve got to find out. But if someone is obviously that concussed, I’ve got to find out why that happens.”

Cleary, meanwhile, suggested Burgess had been lucky to stay on the field following his own high shot on Jarome Luai, which came minutes after the Su’a sin bin.

Asked afterwards if he was happy with the handling of both hits, the coach said: “I’m not sure about the Burgess one. But I guess couldn’t do two (sin bins) in a row could he?

“But we knew they were going to come at us. It wasn’t like it was a shock.

“They play aggressive. Have some guys who fly close to the wind but that’s all good.”

Viliame Kikau scored a double for the Panthers in his 100th game. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Elsewhere, it was a big night for Panthers backrower Viliame Kikau, who scored two tries in his 100th game, with members of his family having been flown in from Fiji especially for the milestone match.

Backing up what had been a teary reunion only a day earlier, Kikau scored from a charge down after just 11 minutes, then doubled down just five minutes from halftime after running onto a nice ball from Luai.

Despite a strong surge from the Dragons late, which included tries to both Su’a and Lomax, the home side could not land the blow that mattered, however were still attacking at the death.

“We have to learn to be better,” Griffin said afterwards.

“We played 20 minutes with 12 men, that killed us.

“With the Su’a (sin bin), if they’re the rules then they’re the rules. That cost us.

“Then the George Burgess penalty on the last play … we invited them down to our end far too many times before they had earned it.

“And when they get the points in the first half, they’re a hard side to run down. We were (still only) a pass away, or a play away from running them down which I’m really proud of.

“It should give our side a lot of belief.”