‘Should have been a send off’: NRL greats blast sin bin drama

Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has been ruled out of the clash against the Eels after a horrific tackle sparked a heated debate.

It was an ugly hit from Simonsson. Photo: Fox Sports

Rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston has claimed Parramatta Eels winger Bailey Simonsson should have been sent off after an ugly high shot which saw Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco ruled out of the match in the first half.

Ultimately it didn’t change the result as the Roosters claimed a 28-20 win, but it could hit the side hard in future weeks as Tedesco will likely be stood down for 11 days, meaning he’d miss the next two weeks.

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The Roosters led 16-2 at the halftime break but it should have been much more if not for incredible try-savers from Clint Gutherson, Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown.

But the Roosters’ captain failed his head injury assessment after Simonsson rushed up, hitting Tedesco high in the 24th minute.

The Roosters were 10m out and the fullback came in to shovel the ball on to Daniel Tupou, who couldn’t take the ball and wound up knocking on.

The Roosters got the penalty however when replays showed the Eels winger directly contacted the head of the Sydney No. 1.

“He’s hit him in the head,” Billy Slater said on Nine. “You’ve got a duty of care not to hit anyone in the head, especially when you’re rushing in like that.”

He was lucky not to be sent off. Photo: Fox Sports

Tedesco immediately looked unwell and left the field but it was soon revealed he had failed the HIA and would likely be stood down for 11 days.

It is the eighth documented concussion of Tedesco’s career.

For clarification, 2 criteria to allow a player to return quicker than the 11 day stand down:
- The player needs to have suffered fewer than five previous career concussions
- The player has to have no history of a previous concussion with prolonged recovery

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 30, 2023

Take out the best player, don't get sent, only 10 in the bin. Perfect tactic early in a game #NRLRoostersEels

— Matt Jones (@mattjonesy6) March 30, 2023

Referee Grant Atkins sin binned Simonsson for the hit but former rugby league stars have revealed they believed the Eel was lucky not to be sent off.

Speaking at halftime of the Channel 9 coverage, Thurston believed it should have seen the Eels down a player for the remainder of the match.

“This should have been a send off,” he said. “The winger’s got a duty of care to lower his target. I truly believe he should have been sent off.”

It was an ugly scene for James Tedesco. Photo: Fox Sports

It was a sentiment Michael Ennis agreed with on Fox League.

“I really like Bailey,” he said. “I’ve coached Bailey at both Parramatta and Canberra. There's just no dirtiness in Bailey at all.

“But he came in, landed with his shoulder, hit James Tedesco in the head and I thought he was lucky not to be sent off to be honest.

“I don’t think there was malice in it but the fact that it was direct contact to the head and it’s something we’re trying stamp out of the game.

“Obviously he was sin binned, Tedesco won't return but I thought he was lucky to stay on the field.”

But Moses Mbye didn’t agree, saying a sin bin was probably enough.

“There was no malice in it,” he said. “It was just one of those ones that’s gone wrong. 10 minutes, you’re not going to jump up and down about it.”

At the time the score was 6-2 but the Roosters added a pair before the break to increase the scoreline to 16-2 at the break.

Without Tedesco, the Roosters didn’t miss a trick however, opening up a 28-8 lead in the 72nd minute before two late tries flattered the Eels.

Originally published as ‘Should have been a send off’: NRL greats blast sin bin drama