Warriors rookie sin binned over Nathan Cleary ‘jumper punch’

If the NRL world thought that halfbacks were now protected species, a brutal decision will have done nothing to change their minds.

Did this deserve a sin bin? Picture: Fox Sports

The Penrith Panthers have resigned the New Zealand Warriors to a fourth loss in five games in a 18-6 win at Magic Round.

The loss for the Warriors pushes the side outside the top eight for the first time this season and entrenches the Panthers at the upper end of the ladder.

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That was despite the fans being well and truly behind the Warriors in Brisbane.

It was another brave performance from the Warriors with the Panthers saying it was one of the toughest games they’ve played this season.

But they don’t give finals positions to teams for courage and the Warriors will be hoping to arrest the slide.

The Warriors weren’t helped by two sin bins in the second half.

In the 49th minute, Jackson Ford was binned for a hip drop tackle, but tongues were wagging after Warriors forward Demitric Sifakula was sin binned for a “striking action” on Nathan Cleary in the 65th minute.

It came after a huge shot from Cleary and two other teammates forced a knock on from the Warriors’ Josh Curran.

It was a big hit from Cleary. Picture: Fox Sports

Curran didn’t enjoy the hit and got up fuming and starting some push and shove with the Panthers halfback.

Cleary had a big smile on his face and Michael Ennis called it “a beauty”.

“They don’t like it the big fellas when the halfbacks get a shot on them,” he said.

But while there was no real call for it, the bunker found what it believed to be a punch from Sifakula and was sent for 10 minutes.

The replay showed that when Sifakula ran in to help his teammate, he appeared to contact Cleary when he went to grab the Panthers’ jersey.

“Was it that there where he grabs the collar of Cleary?” Warren Smith asked. “An attempt at an old fashioned jumper punch. And as a result, he’s been sent to the sin bin.”

Did this deserve a sin bin? Photo: Fox Sports

Todd Smith sent him to the sin bin. Picture: Fox Sports

Smith also called it a “brain explosion from the Warriors rookie.”

The Warriors are back to 12 men yet again...

Sifakula gets sent to the bin for this striking action on Nathan Cleary!

📺Watch #NRLWarriorsPanthers on ch.502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/AatFxsM0NY
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— Fox League (@FOXNRL) May 6, 2023

Fans believed that the Warriors were getting the rough end of the stick at Magic Round.

Not many calls going @NZWarriors way today...

— The Mole (@9_Moley) May 6, 2023

That 'striking' was less force then the high shot on DWZ. WTF is going on. #NRLWarriorsPanthers

— Fredro Baggins (@Aenemus) May 6, 2023

Might as well throw a punch if you’re going to get sin binned for that… #NRLWarriorsPanthers#NRLMagicRound

— Rugby League News (@RugbyLeagueNews) May 6, 2023

Some fans believed halfbacks have been a protected species in recent weeks and that this was a by-product.

After the match, Cleary joked he’ll need to “stay out of the scuffles because I can’t throw them”.

In the post-match press conference, he added that he only had eyes for Curran. But Ivan Cleary said he saw Nathan’s “head go back”.

But Warriors coach Andrew Webster said: “I feel like his hand was open, I feel like he was pushing him in the face. You saw Nathan’s face move but he was going to push him and next thing he’s in the bin.”

Earlier, Ford was sin binned when he came down on the back of Spencer Lenui’s legs while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak being forced off for a head injury assessment late in the game despite it clearly being an eye poke.

Typical of the new Warriors’ side, fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad brushed off questions over whether the side was proud of giving the defending premiers a tough assignment.

“We’ll look at the tape when we review out game and see where we can improve,” he said. “As proud as we can be about the performance, we didn’t come away with the two-points and that’s the main thing at the end of the day.”