NRL baffled by Sandon Smith’s sin bin in Roosters’ win over the Dragons
The wild inconsistencies from NRL referees and the much maligned Bunker roared back in the Roosters’ big Anzac Day win.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The NRL world has reacted with more confusion after the latest ruling on a high tackle in the Roosters’ 46-18 thrashing of St George Illawarra on Anzac Day.
The inconsistencies from the referees and the NRL’s Bunker are plaguing the sport and baffling those watching on, with vastly different calls being made on similar incidents on a weekly and even daily basis.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE in 4K with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.
Part of the problem stems from the NRL head office issuing a “crackdown” on high shots that only seemed to last for a week or two.
But it’s deeper than that, with incident such as Bulldogs star Matt Burton’s high shot on Brisbane’s Billy Walters on Thursday night leading to plenty of confusion.
Burton was placed on report and handed a one-match ban by the judiciary for his high tackle, but allowed to stay on the field.
Fast forward to Anzac Day and just over four minutes into the second half at Allianz Stadium, Dragon Lachlan Ilias took off for a run on the fifth tackle and was brought down by Sandon Smith and Egan Butcher
No one picked up any issues with the play and the Dragons were handed a penalty for a separate infringement before referee Todd Smith appeared to receive a message in his ear about a swinging arm.
“OK earlier in this set, it’s Sandon’s contact on Lachlan Ilias, it’s direct contact and moderate force,” Smith said.
“On report, in the bin.”
It left the Fox Footy commentators stunned before they saw a replay.
“Oh wow, let’s go back and see this on Ilias,” Andrew Voss said.
Greg Alexander then commented: “(Ilias) just drops his head fractionally and that’s enough. The arm swinging from Sandon Smith.
“Slow motion it looks terrible, but it happens in a split second.
“I’ve got no problem with it (the sin bin), there was force in it, contact was unintentional but there we go.”
It was the only low point on a stunning day for 22-year-old Smith, who scored a double and nailed a series of conversions and penalty goals.
But the lack of refereeing consistency left fans baffled as they took to X to comment.
After the sin bin ruling, Matt Baseley asked: “Then why didn’t Burton get sent to the bin retrospectively last night?
“This game is so hard to be a fan of.”
Account Eels Guru wrote: “Last night they couldn’t go back on the play to send Burto off tho.
“No rules in this sport, just all made up s**t by the ref.”
Brandon Ryan offered: “Sandon Smith binned. I get that it’s contact to the head but does any genuine rugby league fan want to see that being sin binned? I know it’s the current standard but it is so s**t.”
The MRC on Friday morning announced Josh Curran, Burton and Sitili Tupouniua are facing suspensions after several ugly moments in the team’s 42-18 loss to the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
Canterbury had a night to forget with three players sent to the sin bin — but they were lucky Tupouniua wasn’t sent from the field for a second time.
Tupouniua has been hit hardest, receiving a three-match ban for his first half shoulder charge high tackle on Broncos defender Brendan Piakura.
He has been hit with an additional two match ban for a second foul act where he raised his knees while running at Piakura in the second half.
It is Tupouniua’s dangerous knee lift that got most people talking on Thursday night.
Replays showed the Bulldogs’ second-rower collected Piakura in the head with his knee and then followed up with another kicking motion that also collected Piakura again as he slumped in the tackle attempt.
Referee Gerard Sutton spotted Tupouniua’s act and immediately awarded the Broncos a penalty and put Tupouniua on report. After reviewing the incident the video match official in the Bunker informed Sutton that the incident warranted no further action.
The NRL’s much maligned video referee system is under fire again with the MRC’s punishments showing just how wrong the call was that allowed Tupouniua to remain on the field.
Leading rugby league journalist Phil Rothfield posted on X: “How the f*** is Tupouniua not in the sin bin. Kneed a bloke in the head.”
He went on to write: “This actually could have been a send off. Sin bin at very least. The NRL has completely lost the plot with the bunker.”
Roosters legend Brad Fittler said on Nine: “You can’t have that.”
Bulldogs cult hero Michael Ennis also said Tupouniua was “lucky to stay on the field”.
Sport journalist John Dean wrote: “Tupouniua should be in the bin again.”
Originally published as NRL baffled by Sandon Smith’s sin bin in Roosters’ win over the Dragons
SuperCoach NRL: 10 things learnt from Anzac Day football
A clear standout in the fullback ranks stood tall on the Anzac Day stage, while it’s time to say goodbye to some of the game’s most popular players. Here are the 10 things we learned from Friday footy.
Latrell faces nervous wait as Storm extend Souths hoodoo
The brave Rabbitohs have left Melbourne without two points, but a bigger concern is the NRL match review committee's take on a hit that sent star Latrell Mitchell to the sin bin.