Broncos star Thomas Flegler sin binned after ‘embarrassing’ cannonball call

The NRL’s hottest new illegal act has seen a knee-jerk reaction from referees on a tackle that left fans and commentators facepalming.

Tom Flegler couldn't believe it. Photo: Fox Sports

The NRL has a problem on its hands as the cannonball tackle has come into the game but referees have got it all wrong in the clash between the Broncos and Warriors.

The Warriors claimed a 20-6 win over the Broncos

Broncos forward Tom Flegler was placed on report three times in the first half for incidents the commentators didn’t believe were too bad before being sin binned.

He was then placed on report once again in the second half but allowed to continue to play for a hip-drop incident which appeared to be an ugly hit. He was allowed to stay on the field.

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In the 21st minute, Flegler was placed on report twice for two separate incidents, including a late tackle in the lead up, as well as a dangerous contact for a perceived cannonball tackle on the Warriors’ Josh Curran.

A cannonball tackle is when a player is standing up in a tackle with a player securing the ball, when a second or often third man comes in at the legs.

It's a tackle many, including Matthew Johns, who called on Rugby League Player’s Association boss Clint Newton to boot players out of the union if found guilty of the tackle.

It was his third report of the match after an eighth minute hip-drop tackle – where a player drops from the hip the attacker’s legs to get them to the ground.

But the tackle on Curran had all the hallmarks of a cannonball, as Flegler came in and Curran buckled over backwards, but the Broncos forward clearly hit Curran in the hip, rather than the lower leg.

Immediately the questions were raised.

“It’s not pretty but he hits him around the short line which he’s allowed to do while he’s standing,” Shane Flanagan said on Fox League.

“He does buckle him over and we don’t like to see that, but he is on report again.”

This is not a cannonball. Photo: Fox Sports

Warren Smith added: “I don’t think he has a lot to worry about, he hit him around the shorts and he did end up in an awkward position no doubt for this man Josh Curran but it wasn’t a hip-drop, it wasn’t a cannonball …”

“He just ended up in an awkward position,” Flanagan finished.

And referee Chris Sutton seemed to have had enough of Flegler, sin binning the Bronco.

But fans were baffled by the incident, questioning whether it actually warranted a sin bin.

At halftime, Michael Ennis slammed the decision.

“I really felt for them, Flegler didn’t deserve to go to the sin bin,” Ennis said.

“There was a conversation between the referee where he said it was multiple infringements and that was why he went to the bin.

“The contact with Fonua was embarrassing … they’re two big guys in the middle. He can’t leave Fonua-Blake defensively there.

“He even has duty of care to try and hold him up.”

Ennis then was in disbelief over the alleged cannonball tackle.

The former State of Origin hooker reiterated he wanted the cannonball out of the game but said that wasn’t a cannonball.

“I’ve been really strong. I hate this tackle. The bad ones are bad,” Ennis said.

“But he comes in around the hips. The dangerous one is when you hit them below the knees. This one he comes in and hits him around the hips. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Braith Anasta said it was a difficult to fathom decision.

“Although, it’s a tackle that we don’t like, he hasn’t broken any rules with it, it’s not even a penalty,” he said of the hit on Curran.

“The one beforehand that you just spoke about with the contact on Fonua-Blake, we argued if that was even a penalty, he’s been given 10 in the bin and they scored off the back of it.”

Cooper Cronk added that it appeared to be more a reaction to the ugly position Curran ended up in.

But while Flegler had been sin binned after three incidents the commentators didn’t believe would end up in a charge, the trio did point to a tackle from the Warriors’ Jazz Tevaga which was a textbook cannonball.

This was Jazz Tevaga's cannonball. Photo: Fox Sports

Ennis was blown away the Warriors player wasn’t sin binned for the hit.

“There are some errors in the policing of the game with some of these incidents,” he said. “It was crazy Flegler went to the sin bin.”

NRL Physio tweeted: “I’m almost always comfortable with current day sin-binnings when it comes to dangerous contact/player safety, especially for tackle technique issues. Not sure which incident the bin was for Flegler but not much wrong with the 2nd tackle for mine. Hit him in the hips, didn’t drop”.

7 News’ Katie Brown wrote: “Do we think Flegler was unfairly binned?”

ABC’s Michael Doyle added: “The Flegler sin bin is a shocker. Did we grab this officiating crew from Super Rugby?”

Sports broadcaster Mark Gottlieb agreed Flegler needed a cool down.

“Tom Flegler, in his first game back from suspension, was put on report 3 times in 20 minutes, two of them coming in the space of 10 seconds. He deserved and needed some time in the naughty corner.”

Incredibly, Flegler could be in some trouble coming out of the game as he was placed on report for a fourth time.

With 10 minutes to go, Flegler performed a hip drop on Warriors forward Ben Murdoch-Masila.

Flegler didn't seem to learn his lesson. Photo: Fox Sports

Despite landing on report three other times in the game, Flegler, who was returning from suspension in this game, didn’t learn his lesson from his 10 minute break.

“It’s a classic hip-drop tackle, this will be a problem for Thomas Flegler,” Smith said.

“That’s a shocker.”

Flanagan said he felt for Flegler because: “There is no intention in it, he just needs to change his tackle technique.”

“That one should be a sin bin, undoubtedly a piece of foul play,” Smith said.

But remarkably, Flegler was allowed to stay on the field, although Sutton left him and captain Adam Reynolds with a warning, seemingly threatening a send off.

“The NRL match review committee will look darkly at what just happened on the field,” Smith said.

“It’s a tackle we’re trying to remove from the game, a technique we’re trying to remove and I’m surprised he’s still on the field,” to which Flanagan agreed.