LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The NRL has weighed in on the controversial decision to sin bin Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, with head of football Graham Annesley backing the Bunker's call and causing a stir among fans.
The tackle in question had the rugby league community divided, with former players and diehard supporters up in arms over the outcome.
However, Annesley stood by the decision to send Tuivasa-Sheck to the bin during the Warriors' 66-6 loss to the Titans on Saturday, citing player safety as the primary concern.
Warriors fans were left fuming for multiple reasons after the match, with the sin binning of their star player adding fuel to the fire.
Tuivasa-Sheck accepted a $1000 fine for a grade 1 dangerous throw charge after pleading guilty, leading to comparisons with a similar incident involving Parramatta's Kelma Tuilagi the week prior.
Annesley acknowledged that Tuilagi's tackle could have warranted a harsher punishment, even a send-off, given the severity of the dangerous throw on Lindsay Collins that resulted in a lengthy suspension.
However, he supported the decision to sin bin Tuivasa-Sheck after hearing the Bunker's reasoning, emphasizing the NRL's stance against lifting tackles.
"In these cases, we're looking to eliminate dangerous tackles that can quickly spiral out of control and cause serious harm," Annesley commented.
"We want to prevent players from being lifted, as it poses a significant risk to their safety, especially in one-on-one situations."