In the Anzac Day match against the Roosters, the Dragons found themselves angered by two significant sin bin penalties, which left commentators puzzled over the validity of the calls. The first player to be sent to the sin bin was Luciano Leilua in the 17th minute. The Roosters led 12-0 when Leilua was deemed to have made high contact with halfback Sam Walker while attempting to apply pressure with a kick. Rugby league legend Andrew Johns expressed his discontent on Nine, stating that while he has long advocated for the protection of halfbacks from late hits, the current rule prohibiting contact with a kicker has become overly strict.
Leilua reacted with disbelief as the referee signalled the infringement. Upon his return to the field, the Roosters had increased their lead to 22-4. Just three minutes later, another Dragon, Atkinson, was penalised for a professional foul. In this instance, he made contact with Walker’s arm as he was in a marker position, which led to another sin bin decision despite protests from Dragons players advocating for a challenge. Referee Grant Atkins clarified that slapping at the arm was against the rules, prompting Johns to question the existence of such a rule.
The Roosters capitalised on Atkinson’s absence, extending their lead to 34-4 by halftime. During the break, commentators Cameron Smith and Allana Ferguson expressed their confusion, suggesting that penalties would have sufficed instead of sending two players to the sin bin. Ferguson was particularly perplexed by the decision against Atkinson, while Smith argued that if a hooker steps out of play during a play-the-ball situation, they should be considered fair game for pressure from markers. Smith suggested there’s a need for reform regarding this rule.
Ultimately, the Roosters dominated the match, finishing with a commanding 62-16 victory, while the Dragons were left to ponder the impact of the contentious officiating decisions.