Social media explodes as Broncos rookie sent off in ‘bizarre’ scenes

The Canberra Raiders put the Brisbane Broncos to the sword but a baffling call has shown that the NRL’s crackdown is alive and well.

Kobe Hetherington was sent off.

The Canberra Raiders have claimed a much needed 38-16 win against the Brisbane Broncos but a shock sin bin has left fans and commentators stunned.

Karmichael Hunt’s NRL return for the first time in 12 years could not have gone much worse as the Raiders blew the Broncos off the park.

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While the Broncos have been far from the pacesetters with three wins this year, the Raiders claimed a second win in nine games.

But it was a moment midway through the second half that had fans and commentators baffled as Kobe Hetherington was sensationally sent off.

The NRL crackdown has been in the news since Magic Round but after the Origin match, it was labelled “gutless” by NRL 360’s Paul Kent after one player was suspended despite several incidents in the match.

This was despite the NRL saying it would clamp down on the issue.

But earlier on Saturday, a high shot from the Gold Coast Titans’ Kevin Proctor was given a lenient punishment of a penalty despite it being reminiscent of shots that have been sin binned or sent off in previous weeks.

Andrew Voss said “The crackdown is officially broken because that’s a careless tackle” at the time.

But two matches later in the Raiders match against the Broncos, rookie Kobe Hetherington was sent off for a shot on Corey Harawira-Naera, despite the Raiders forward being ankle tapped into the line.

The ankle tap happened at the same time he connected with Hetherington.

The score was already 32-10 so the match was already as good as gone but it was a baffling call with plenty of circumstance leading to the high shot.

Hetherington became the first Broncos player since Ben Walker in 1999 to be sent off after the heavy contact to the head.

However, there was nowhere Hetherington could have gone after the ankle tap from Tyson Gamble.

But Braith Anasta believed it could have been a sin bin.

Referee Chris Sutton had a different view however, sending him straight off.

“What? Are you serious?” Hetherington said.

Anasta said: “I don’t agree with that.”

“watch this, he gets ankle tapped here so he falls into the shoulder of Hetherington,” Anasta continued. “It’s 10 in the bin, I don’t think it’s sent off.

“I just feel there were circumstances there that if he wasn’t ankle tapped, he hits him around the chest. Because of the ankle tap, he falls immediately. A bit unlucky there for Hetherington to be sent off.”

Dan Ginnane said he thought that Sutton had looked at Harawira-Naera to make sure he was going off before making his decision.

Harawira-Naera went off but passed his HIA.

Fans were fuming over the call.

And there it is. The send-off that will send the NRL into a spin, because Kobe Hetherington will be cleared by the judiciary, the refs and bunker suddenly won’t know where they’re at re high contact, and we’ll be back to square one.
That’s a joke of a decision.#NRLRaidersBroncos

— Warren Smith (@WarrenSmithFOX) June 12, 2021

The Kobe Hetherington send-off is a shocking decision. CHN hurdles a defender and is ankle-tapped. The Bunker has no regard for the circumstances. Horrible feel for the game. #NRLRaidersBroncos

— Travis Meyn (@travismeyn) June 12, 2021

Sent off....player trips and falls into your shoulder. No force, no intent, accidents happen 🤦🏼‍♂️ sent off....

— Cameron King (@CAMKINGY) June 12, 2021

Wow… that is a terrible decision to send Hetherington off. Not 10 in the bin. Off. #NRLRaidersBroncos#NRL

— Michael Atkinson (@kinson88) June 12, 2021

Serious? That’s not a send off.

— Peter Psaltis (@peterp79) June 12, 2021

The Kobe Hetherington send off is possibly one of the most bizarre I’ve seen. Anyone who’s ever played, at any level, knows you can’t do anything there as a defender. Now what to do judiciary? #NRLRaidersBroncos

— Tulsen Tollett (@TulsenTollett) June 12, 2021

This is a send-off? This crackdown is so bizarre. Round to round, game to game, tackle to tackle, the referees are all calling it differently. #NRLpic.twitter.com/VMp0tBfkY7

— Jon Healy (@JonHealy) June 12, 2021

Really?!
Sure it’s direct and to the head, but surely it’s a mitigating factor that CHN not only falls, but falls forward so he meets the defender far earlier than expected. Careless, yes. Sin-bin, maybe? But send off? #NRLRaidersBroncos

— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) June 12, 2021

Post game,

“To be honest, I’m confused as a fan of the game about what is a sin bin and what is a report when there is a high tackle incident in the game,” Cronk said. “It’s basically a lottery to determine what happens.”

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was frustrated, despite the fact the side played their best part of the game during the man deficit.

“It’s a bit hard, but that’s the game we’re in at the moment. We’ve just got to cop it the way we have and get on with things,” he said.

“When you make contact with the head, regardless of the situation, that’s what we’re trying to remove from the game.

“He couldn’t go anywhere. I’m not sure if it was a send off.

“There’s no intent from Kobe to do anything but make the tackle.”

The Raiders ran in seven tries to three, claiming the side’s first win at home since round one.

Originally published as Social media explodes as Broncos rookie sent off in ‘bizarre’ scenes