LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NRL fans expressed their frustration after Kotoni Staggs wasn't sin-binned during the Broncos' victory against the Storm, which ended with a score of 30-14, securing a top-four finish for Brisbane and a second chance in the finals.
While the Storm's performance was lacking, a controversial incident early in the match left many questioning the officiating. The Storm earned a penalty when Cameron Munster sent a kick towards Xavier Coates, only for Staggs to intentionally grab Coates, hindering his ability to jump for the ball.
The referee correctly penalized Staggs; however, numerous commentators on both Nine and Fox believed the action warranted a 10-minute sin-bin, arguing Staggs deliberately obstructed a scoring opportunity for Coates.
Coates had a size advantage over smaller opponent Jesse Arthars, and the Storm seemed poised for an aerial advantage. Acknowledged as one of the NRL's top leapers, Coates appeared to be targeted by the Broncos to prevent him from jumping altogether.
In situations where a player is taken out without the ball during a potential try-scoring scenario, a sin-bin is typically expected. The NRL may need to address this conduct, particularly as the finals approach. The incident with Staggs likely influenced the later decision to bin Deine Mariner; however, Storm supporters would argue that Mariner's absence had less impact on the game than Staggs' would have.
In a previous statement, coaching legend Mal Meninga mentioned he would instruct his players to adopt a strategy similar to Staggs' actions (though less overtly). He commented following controversy over penalty try decisions implementing penalties for players tackled in the air.
In their last clash, Coates received a penalty try after being hit while airborne by Deine Mariner. Meninga suggested that defenders should aim to run such high-flying players off the ball, rather than risk a penalty try or sin-bin.