NRL warned of 'dangerous territory' after Bunker's backflip on Kodi Nikorima sin bin

Dolphins half Kodi Nikorima was subjected to a bizarre backflip from the Bunker in his side's clash against Penrith after he was put in the sin bin for a hip-drop tackle on Mitch Kenny.

The tackle led to Kenny being taken from the field after suffering a suspected fractured leg.

Nikorima had twisted in the tackle and landed on Kenny's legs with the hooker yelling in pain.

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"You could hear it in his voice, he was grimacing," Billy Slater said on Nine.

Nikorima was put on report for the tackle and it looked like he'd stay on the field but as Kenny limped off the referee called out the Dolphins star.

Adam Gee subsequently sent him to the sin bin with Slater stating it was because Kenny had left the field.

"They were waiting to see if Mitch Kenny was going to play on ... and then all of a sudden he couldn't play on and they've changed their decision. I've never seen that before," he said.

"I actually thought it should've been a sin bin to start with. I think they've got the decision right, but that is bizarre."

With a tone of concern, Andrew Johns added it was "dangerous territory".

Nine's Marlee Silva then revealed the severity of Kenny's injury with Johnathan Thurston noting it "went bang" as soon as he tried to put weight on it.

It was later added that Kenny had gone to hospital during the second half.

The backflip on the decision comes after Luke Laulilii was sin-binned and suspended earlier in the month for an aerial contest that led to Bailey Simonsson copping a season-ending leg injury.

Tigers coach Benji Marshall said it was setting a "dangerous precedent".

"We got some clarification from the NRL and referees in particular - it was because of the injury. If he didn't get the injury, it wouldn't have been that way," Marshall said.

"That's hard to cop. I think it sets a pretty dangerous precedent. The referees are not doctors, so if someone stays down and pretends they're injured and [a player] gets sin-binned and they're OK, what are we creating?

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"In saying that, I'm not trying to disrespect the injury to Bailey, because I really like Bailey and felt sorry for him because of how good he's going.

"It was an accident from Luke's perspective, there was no intent, but that's done and dusted now, we can't change that, and someone else gets an opportunity."