In a perplexing incident during a recent match, new Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters expressed confusion over the sin bin ruling of Jack Wighton. The Rabbitohs player was penalised for a head clash with Cronulla’s Toby Rudolf, who fell heavily after the collision. Wighton contended that the impact was unintentional, but the Bunker ruled against him, citing a lack of arm movement, which they classified as a shoulder charge.
Walters questioned the decision during the Fox League broadcast, asserting, “I don’t think that’s a shoulder charge,” highlighting that the collision appeared accidental. His comments were particularly in light of the fact that Rudolf, who demonstrated signs of concussion as confirmed by Cronulla’s medical team, had to leave the field and would not return. This allowed the visitors to activate their 18th man, Hohepa Puru.
Despite being down a player, Cronulla managed to fend off a determined Rabbitohs attack during Wighton’s absence. Upon his return, however, Blayke Brailey managed to score, nudging the score to 14-6. The Rabbitohs’ Tevita Tatola added a late try that brought the final score to 14-12, although he suffered a dislocated shoulder in the process.
The match had its share of officiating controversies, beginning with an offside call against Rabbitoh Ryan Gray, which allowed Nicho Hynes to kick the opening points. A subsequent ruck infringement by Wighton allowed Cronulla to equalise. However, a forward pass during a possible try by Hynes was disallowed by referee Belinda Sharpe. South Sydney’s Lewis Dodd, in his first NRL game wearing the No. 7 jersey this season, made an impressive tackle to thwart a try, earning praise from Walters.
The night was marked by moments of frustration for Cronulla, including a dropped ball by Jesse Ramien, prompting teammate Braydon Trindall to urge a refocus during a scrum. Despite close attempts, including a fumble by Teig Wilton near the opposition’s goal line, the Sharks struggled to convert their aggressive play into points. The opening half concluded with Tyrone Munro scoring after a clever play with Jai Arrow, catching the Rabbitohs’ defence off guard.
Overall, the match brought to light both the complexities of game rulings and the physical toll taken on players, exemplified by the concussion concern with Rudolf and Wighton’s contentious sin binning.