Cowboys Scott Drinkwater in trouble after breaking rival’s jaw

Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater is expected to be in a fair bit of trouble after a horror hit left Bronco Corey Oates with a broken jaw.

Scott Drinkwater could be in a bit of trouble. Photo: Fox Sports

The first Queensland Derby lived up to expectations as the Broncos pulled off a stunning 28-16 win in a brutal Friday night clash.

But the match has also left Broncos winger Corey Oates with a broken jaw after a shoulder charge from Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater.

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It was early in the second half when Oates looked to barge his way over the line, only to be held up by Peta Hika in an incredible tackle.

However, it came after Drinkwater put his body on the line to try and stop the hulking winger and appeared to put on a shoulder charge.

After the impact and the match try was checked by the Bunker, Oates ran straight from the field clutching his jaw.

The Bunker soon send Drinkwater after him, sentencing the Cowboys fullback to the sin bin for 10 minutes.

Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds was pleading for a penalty try and was heard on the referee’s microphone saying: “But he’s in the act of scoring and he has hit him in the head.”

In commentary, Cooper Cronk said he believed it should have been a penalty try.

“It was still in the act of scoring the try, Corey Oates was going for the try,” he said.

Scott Drinkwater could be in a bit of trouble. Photo: Fox Sports

It was soon revealed that Oates had suffered a suspected broken jaw.

The NRL Physio Twitter account wrote the incident could leave Oates on the sideline for some time.

Situations like this is why the Wade Graham tackle from last week is an easy sin bin/suspension as well. In that situation it didn’t result in injury, but an upright tackler leaving their feet is a technique that carries a high degree of danger to the ball carrier

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 10, 2023

Corey Parker told Fox League he had a clean break on the left side of his jaw and “is at emergency department as we speak, through going scans to determine what the diagnosis will be, whether there’s plates, whether there’s surgery.”

“That’s really shocking news to know Corey Oates is in the emergency department at the moment,” Yvonne Sampson replied.

But Panthers legend Greg Alexander said he didn’t believe the hit was as drastic as the injury would suggest.

“I think Drinkwater just held his ground and turned his shoulder for impact,” Alexander said on Fox League.

“Would I class that as a shoulder charge? I guess so. I suppose it’s a shoulder charge because he turned sideways. End of story. There was no force in Drinkwater, he stood his ground and thought ‘here comes a 6 foot three 100kg winger, I’m going to brace for impact’.”

Michael Ennis added be believed it was panic from the Cowboys fullback and praised Ashley Klein for his decision to sin bin, rather than send off.

As for the coaches, Todd Payten played down the moment, saying there was no intent from Drinkwater.

“He had one foot on the deck, he had no intent to make a collision with the body, it’s certainly an accident,” the Cowboys coach said. “The kid’s just doing his best to stop a try.”

Broncos coach Kevin Walters was less lenient on the hit, saying: “It’s not a very good incident to have in our game — be interesting to see what happens with the NRL.”

Asked if the sin bin and penalty was sufficient, Walters said: “Probably not.”

Adam Reynolds said he questioned whether it should have been more than a sin bin.

“We lose a player for the entire game, a number of weeks most probably, whether 10 minutes is justifiable, I don’t think so,” the halfback said.

It was a horrible result for Oates. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

It threatened to overshadow a brilliant Queensland Derby with more than 43,000 fans turning out to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium to watch one of the NRL’s great modern rivalries write its next chapter.

After the Cowboys opened an 8-0 lead after 18 minutes, the sides went to the break at 10-all before the Broncos made the most of Drinkwater’s sin bin, scoring twice with the man-advantage.

Although Jeremiah Nanai cut the scoreline to six points inside the last 10 minutes, a try to Broncos debutant Reece Walsh capped an excellent first outing for the 20-year-old.