NRL Tackle Round 21: Raiders robbed by Bunker, Nicholas Hynes’ female official spray

The Bunker’s decision in the context of a one-point loss is potentially season-defining if the Raiders end up missing out on the top four. Round 21 likes and dislikes.

Reed Mahoney was dropped to the bench and then played lock. Picture: Getty

Paul Crawley reveals his likes and dislikes from blockbuster round of NRL action in the round 21 Tackle.

ROUND 21 DISLIKES

‘THEY CAN’T RUN WITHOUT A HEAD’

As far as home town decisions go, Ricky Stuart had every right to question why the Raiders weren’t awarded a penalty try in the golden point loss to the Warriors in Auckland.

There is just no excusing the Bunker’s decision to ignore a blatant high shot from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, which jolted the ball loose to deny Sebastian Kris a crucial try just before halftime.

At that point with minutes before halftime the Raiders were only trailing 8-6.

How the Bunker looked at that incident several times and ultimately ignored the whack in the head is a joke.

Like the old saying goes, they can’t run without a head.

But that decision in the context of a one-point loss is potentially season-defining if the Raiders end up missing out on the top four.

No doubt, the Raiders made a stack of costly errors throughout the match they too would be ruing.

To his credit Stuart didn’t blow up at all in his media conference.

But to inexcusably let that decision slide on a night the Raiders were absolutely caned by the ref just leaves a rotten taste.

Shaun Johnson kicks the winning field goal after the controversial decision. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty

HYNES IN STRIFE FOR TOUCH JUDGE SPRAY

NRL golden boy Nicho Hynes is showing the frustration of the Sharks’ shocking form slump.

But that still does not give the reigning Dally M medalist the right to speak to match officials the way he blasted touch judge Belinda Sharpe during the clash against Manly.

It was not clear exactly what was said in this instance.

But given recent incidents involving Bronco young gun Reece Walsh and Josh Reynolds, it will be interesting to see how the NRL match review committee reacts to this one.

With his team trailing 30-4 midway through the second half, Hynes had a potential try to Sione Katoa called back as a forward pass.

WATCH THE INCIDENT IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Nicho Hynes could find himself in hot water over his round 21 actions. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

Frustrated at the decision, Hynes walked directly toward Sharpe and held up three fingers, appearing to indicate it was the third call he disagreed with during the game.

Hynes yelled at Sharpe before Gough intervened and demanded the Cronulla star stop verballing match officials.

As he walked towards Gough, Hynes again held up three fingers.

The match review committee will convene on Monday and is expected, given Gough’s reaction to Hynes’ behaviour, to review exactly what was said.

Even if he didn’t swear at Sharpe, Hynes could still face sanction for approaching and questioning Sharpe.

“Nicho, Nicho, come here,” Gough yelled at Hynes. “Don’t say another word. Hey, don’t walk away from me. Come here.

“You do not have the right to talk to me or my team in any manner. Do it again and you’ll find yourself off the field. Enough.”

Hynes protested to Gough, saying: “What did I say? I said that’s three.”

Fox Sports commentator Warren Smith said: “Belinda Sharpe, the touch judge, was there and Nicho Hynes went across. He might be in trouble for what he said to the touch judge.”

Nicho Hynes is under fire for this incident.

Fellow Fox Sports commentator Cooper Cronk said: “Well handled by the referee.”

On Nine, commentator Phil Gould, when the pass was called back, said: “Really? Really?”

Of course, it’s been well documented how Bronco Walsh only this round returned from a three match ban for abusing a referee with some colourful language, while Reynolds copped a fine using the word “bullshit”.

As much as we all admire Hynes, he was way out of line here and extremely lucky he was not put in the bin to cool down.

SICK DOG’S BIZARRE SWITCH

Cameron Ciraldo certainly made no apologies for raising eyebrows after making a bizarre positional switch with courageous captain Reed Mahoney.

The Parramatta hooker in last year’s grand final was dropped to the Bulldogs’ bench in the Sunday showdown with premiers Penrith.

Coach Ciraldo had said prior to the game that Mahoney was sick and probably shouldn’t be playing.

But even when Mahoney finally got onto the field late in the first half, he had to play second fiddle to Kyle Flanagan who took over the dummy half duties.

Instead of slipping into his usual role, Mahoney was used as a ball playing lock.

And he didn’t have a happy afternoon as he looked lost in his new position, twice surrendering in possession to avoid an obstruction play.

Reed Mahoney was dropped to the bench and then played lock. Picture: Getty

Ciraldo said after the game a sickness had gone through the squad during the week and they were desperately short of numbers.

He also pointed out Flanagan had trained at hooker so they decided to keep it that way, especially given “I thought Kyle was going pretty well”.

Ciraldo continued: “Reed was crook all week and didn’t train with us. So with lack of numbers we just had to try and find a ball playing forward and Reed was happy to do that for us.

“We knew he would probably only pump out minimal minutes so without too much moving around we just thought put Reed in there and get his 30 minutes out.

“Again he probably shouldn’t have played but as a captain he wanted to be out here with the boys, and the best way to utilise him was probably play 15 minutes either side of halftime in that lock role.”

Cameron Ciraldo has revealed why he demoted Reed Mahoney. Picture: Getty

I guess we wait and see if Flanagan keeps the spot next week.

But regardless of how well it is explained you just can’t imagine the Storm playing Harry Grant as lock no matter how ill he was, or the Rabbitohs doing likewise with Damien Cook.

It certainly didn’t do Mahoney any favours, despite how brave he was.

To their credit the Bulldogs fought back in the second half to hold the Panthers to 44-18.

Yet they have now conceded an incredible 293 points in their last seven games for 124 scored, with just one win to show for it.

NRL EXPLAINS CONTROVERSIAL MOSES HIA CALL

The NRL has clarified why Parramatta’s star halfback Mitchell Moses wasn’t forced from the field for a head injury assessment despite the controversial sin binning of Val Holmes in the Cowboys’ 24-16 win over the Eels.

The tackle has divided opinion throughout the game with many understandably arguing that if the Bunker’s verdict of “direct and forceful” contact to the head was correct, then why was Moses allowed to play on?

The NRL match review committee has since hit Holmes with a grade one careless high tackle charge that will result in a $1800 fine if he cops the early guilty plea.

But that doesn’t end the debate as to whether it still warranted a sin bin?

Mitch Moses was floored by this monster hit from Valentine Holmes. Picture: Getty

Cowboys coach Todd Payten said the sin bin was “the wrong call”, while crediting Moses for “great refereeing”.

“It definitely wasn’t forceful contact to the head because at the speed Val was coming in and the speed that Mitch was coming in, if that is forceful contact to the head he is going to hospital or he is going to get a HIA assessment,” Payten said.

“I thought it was good contact on the ball and whiplash made it look worse than what it was.”

But asked why Moses wasn’t required under HIA protocols to leave the field given the Bunker’s “direct and forceful” verdict, NRL head of football Graham Annesley still came up with a very reasonable explanation.

“The independent doctor in the Bunker doesn’t listen to what the Bunker match official or the referee says,” Annesley explained.

“They look for signs (of concussion symptoms).

"As soon as we saw the whiplash, it was all over."

Valentine Holmes was sent to the sin bin for this hit!

📺 Watch #NRLCowboysEels on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/JFFu9aqOLQ
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/DDiZlUfOqh
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/9DnmraDAeJpic.twitter.com/TaZbI8NIlZ

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 22, 2023

“So they have specific signs that they look for that a player would exhibit after head contact … they have to recognise one or more of those signs before they decide that a player needs to go for a HIA.

“Normally those signs are things like staying on the ground, being floppy when they fall to the ground, there is a whole range of different signs that the doctor looks for.

“And if they don’t see any of those signs regardless of contact to the head then they don’t (send them off for a HIA).”

While you might not agree Holmes should have been sin binned, it is also hard to argue with Annesley on this one in respect to justifying the independent doctor having an independent verdict.

SIMS BRAIN SNAP COSTS STORM

No one ever questions Tariq Sims’ toughness. But at 33, it’s Sims’ tendency to always want to go out and prove he’s still the tough guy that’s the ongoing problem.

Because too often it’s his brain snaps that come back to bite him and his team on the bum at the worst possible time.

Tariq Sims gets sent to the sin bin for this hit on Jackson Hastings.

📺 Watch #NRLKnightsStorm on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/JFFu9aqOLQ
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/6IJlu3SoMO
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/E5M2Oi1suzpic.twitter.com/sRX9kXZVUr

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 22, 2023

And Sims has done it again with a costly swinging arm on Jackson Hastings that resulted in a sin bin that turned the game against the Storm in the loss to the Knights and now resulting in a grade two careless high tackle charge.

It will mean Sims will be out for two matches if he takes the early guilty plea.

At least that might give Craig Bellamy time to calm down.

But with six rounds of the regular season to go, the shock loss to the Knights has the potential to end up costing the Storm a top-two finish, and potentially even a top-four finish.

The Storm’s tough run home kicks off against the Eels in Melbourne on Friday night followed by Panthers (a), Raiders (h), Dragons (a), Titans (h) and Broncos (a).

WHY WASN’T TAUPAU SENT OFF?

Can you believe a week after Reagan Campbell-Gillard was not sent off but later copped a four match suspension his sickening knees in the back incident, it’s happened again.

This time Broncos veteran Martin Taupau got away with a sin bin for one of the worst incidents we’ve seen since, well, last week.

But seriously, what is the Bunker thinking allowing Taupau to come back after that terrible knee lift into the Rabbitohs’ Campbell Graham?

It was no surprise to see it also resulted in a grade three charge (the same as Campbell-Gillard) that will receive a four-match ban if Taupau cops the early guilty plea.

But it’s still a disgrace because who knows which way the game would have gone had the Broncos been forced to defend a man down for the remainder of the match.

Not that the Rabbitohs deserved to win because their overall effort was terrible.

But this definitely deserved a send off, and Taupau can consider himself lucky he’s only looking at a month on the sidelines.

"That's ridiculous! There's no reason for him to do that!.

Martin Taupau was sent to the sin bin for dangerous play.

📺 Watch #NRLSouthsBroncos on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/JULPAvfN6c
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/VxHNAat0o5
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/mqoU9rNRSWpic.twitter.com/61h50LkHGL

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 21, 2023

ROUND 21 LIKES

RABBITOHS LEFT TO RUE LETTING REYNO GO

There’s your answer as to whether the Broncos are a legitimate premiership contender.

And don’t tell me the Rabbitohs wouldn’t still be kicking themselves (at least privately) for letting Adam Reynolds walk out the door.

Reynolds gave his former club yet another reminder of his ongoing worth in the Broncos’ convincing 36-20 victory, with a stunning example of game management that was just top shelf.

The way Reynolds steers the Broncos around the park is just great to watch, how he pulls the right rein on almost every occasion and makes the game look so uncomplicated.

Yes, he’s got a truckload of talent to play with.

But at 33 the fact of the matter is Reynolds remains at the top of his game, and is probably better now than he ever was when the Bunnies only wanted to offer him a one-year deal to stay.

And this is not a knock on Lachlan Ilias because he is a young halfback learning his trade, and he will only get better as the seasons roll on.

Make no mistake, this was a big loss for Souths who now sit ninth on the ladder and it may well end up costing them any chance of finishing top four, although they do have a good run home so anything can happen.

But the sooner Latrell Mitchell is back from that calf injury the better. No doubt, they still have a team capable of doing some damage in the big end of season games. But can they win the comp from outside the top four? History says they can’t.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are sitting pretty inside the top two.

Adam Reynolds (left) has been brilliant for the Broncos. Picture: Getty

TEDDY V WALSH PROMISES ANOTHER MOUTH-WATERING MATCH UP

Now where has that performance from the Sydney Roosters been hiding?

Seriously, if they were a racehorse there would be a stewards’ inquiry into how a team team that has been flat out scoring tries all season leaves it until round 21 to pile on 30-unanswered first-half points against the Titans like it was a training run.

But they were absolutely brilliant in the first half with the big guns James Tedesco, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joey Manu and Egan Butcher carving it up.

That said, this was the Tino-less Titans.

And even though the 36-18 win keeps the Roosters in the conversation to finish in the finals, it will mean nothing if they don’t back it up against the Broncos on Thursday night at the Gabba.

And Tedesco’s one-on-one battle with Broncos’ young gun Reece Walsh is going to be huge.

While the champion fullback has charged back to life following his performance in the Origin dead rubber win, Walsh’s absence in that final game really worked against Queensland’s hopes.

And as dazzling as Teddy was against the Titans, Walsh was equally impressive when returning from suspension in the Broncos’ victory over with his sizzling speed showing again what a difference he makes in every game.

KNIGHTS COACH DESERVES PRAISE

The Newcastle Knights’ win over the Storm was one of the club’s most impressive in a long time given what was at stake for both teams.

And Knights coach Adam O’Brien really deserves credit for the way he has handled ongoing questions about his own job to get the team’s finals hopes back on track.

The form of Kalyn Ponga has been simply superb, while Bradman Best just goes from strength to strength in the wake of his shock NSW call up.

Tyson Frizell is another who is turning back the clock, while Jackson Hastings played well as did young hooker Phoenix Crossland who was so brave defensively.

The Knights now take on the Raiders on Saturday in Canberra and don’t be surprised if we see another upset given how the Raiders always struggle to contain Ponga.

Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien deserves praise for bringing the Knights back from the brink. Picture: Getty

LOMAX GIVES DRAGONS REASON TO HOPE

In what has been a pretty ordinary season for the Dragons, the return to form of Zac Lomax is a massive boost going forward.

After Lomax’s exceptional effort in the recent loss against the Raiders, he produced another effort that showed exactly what he is capable of in the 18-14 win over the Tigers.

Lomax finished with 24 runs for 188m, including a try and a try assist.

The win pretty much shuts down any talk about the Dragons finishing the season with the wooden spoon.

As for the Tigers, the less said the better.

JOHNSON DOES IT AGAIN FOR WARRIORS

The Warriors’ 21-20 golden point win over the Raiders certainly won’t go down as their best win this season.

But in saying that, the way they took their one chance off the back of a seven tackle set following a Jamal Fogarty’s clearing kick that just went a fraction too long to set up the field goal for Shaun Johnson just again showed how the Warriors under Andrew Webster have grown into a serious football team.

And they are more than capable of challenging for this year’s NRL title.

The Warriors now have the bye before taking on the Titans on the Gold Coast on what looks to be a pretty cruisy run to the finals with three of their final five games to be played in New Zealand.