Todd Payten said top teams and players get ‘benefit of the doubt too often’

Cowboys coach Todd Payten has slammed NRL officials after his side’s loss to the Roosters as his side had to deal with three sin bins.

Todd Payten wasn't happy. Photo: Fox Sports

North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten has reignited the debate over the have and have nots in the NRL after his side’s 28-4 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Sunday night.

The Cowboys coach brought up Titans coach Justin Holbrook’s comments after the Gold Coast's round one loss to the Parramatta Eels where he said “It is about us as a club being not one of the big clubs and not getting anything,” of a lopsided penalty count.

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The issue which hurt the Cowboys on Saturday night was a lopsided sin bin count, where the side spent 30 minutes down a man after three sin bins.

The first, in the 21st minute, came when Tom Gilbert took out Roosters half Luke Keary after an enterprising play down the right side in a clear professional foul.

The Roosters score two tries while Gilbert was in the bin.

But in the second half, the most contentious of the sin bins came when Griffin Neame was sin binned for a late tackle on Sam Walker, despite a split second between Walker’s pass and Neame hitting the half as he ran deep into the defensive line.

During the game, Neame couldn’t believe it, while Greg Alexander said it was late, although conceded Walker ran deep into the line.

Finally, Chad Townsend was sin binned over a high tackle when he flew in from the side of Roosters enforcer Lindsay Collins and glanced off in a high tackle.

Jason Taumalolo and Todd Payten. Photo: Fox Sports

But after the game, Payten said he was proud of the performance from his side despite being down a man for so long.

But when was asked about the sin bins and again questioned the NRL officials.

“It’s hard to argue with Tom Gilbert’s. Really disappointed around Griffin’s sin binning,” Payten began.

“I know what we’re trying to do as a game, we’re trying to protect the halves but they were trying to stamp that out for when halfbacks take it into the line and are not looking with their back turned and players hit them late. I know Griff was in no position to pull out of that because he’d gone deep into the line and already ducked. They’ve got that wrong.

“Chad, that was pretty soft. There were some calls tonight that went 50-50 against us and the Titans coach a couple of weeks ago made a comment and I agree with him. Teams that have been up the pointy end of the competition for a while now or have high-profile players get the benefit of the doubt too often. That’s frustrating and that’s my opinion over watching footy for a long time.”

Captain Jason Taumalolo said he agreed with Payten but that it wasn’t his place to comment on the officiating.

Discussed on Fox League, Michael Ennis said it was tougher to judge as the analysts weren’t sitting in the coaching hot seat.

“It’s a big call, I don’t think I necessarily agree,” Ennis said. “I didn't have an issue, I thought the better side won tonight.”

Former Melbourne and Roosters halfback Cooper Cronk added: “I think he needs to be very careful with the words he chooses because he’s inferring something.

“I thought the Griffin Neame one was difficult. I thought that was hard on the Cowboys. I thought he was in the line Walker and it’s pretty hard to pull out of but I thought the other two were definite sin bins.”

It wasn't too late from Neame. Photo: Fox Sports

Chad Townsend only just hit him. Photo: Fox Sports

Cronk said he believed there was “intent” from Townsend despite “it being a little guy on a big guy”.

Ennis said the line in the hand for high tackles was drawn last season during Magic Round.

He said he could live with the high tackle penalty despite not being the heaviest contact.

But Ennis bristled when it came to the Neame sin binning.

“Todd Payten had it exactly right,” he said. “What I don’t like seeing is when a halfback is drifting across the field, looking out to pass and someone hits him from behind and he has a whiplashing motion.

“If a half is coming at you directly, where Griffin Neame had set himself, he’d gone deep into the line Sam Walker, he cannot leave him. He was committed to the tackle, it’s not late. When you slow it down as slow as we’re able to, it looks a lot worse. At full speed, he was completely committed to the tackle and we’ve got to stop sin binning guys. We saw Jaydn Su’A sin binned for a similar shot on Sean O’Sullivan a few weeks ago, it’s not a sin bin.

“It’s having a huge impact on our game. 10 minutes has huge ramifications. In that game, Penrith scored 14 points while Su’A was off the field.

“What’s he supposed to do there? If the half shows and goes because he doesn’t commit, the coach is up him all week for not committing. It’s his job if a half wants to go into the line and take him on, he did nothing wrong.”

Braith Anasta brought up comments from Andrew Voss from the coverage that if Johnathan Thurston was tackled like this through his career, there would have been 100 send offs as he ran into the line.

Cronk said the indicators were late, high and in the back but agreed with the other two sin bins.

“I can’t agree with him that the high profile players and teams get the rub of the green,” Cronk said.