Andrew Johns left raging after Hannah Southwell binned for 'simultaneous' hit on Roosters halfback

Andrew Johns has fired up after Dragons recruit Hannah Southwell was sent to the sinbin for a late and high shot on Roosters halfback Jocelyn Kelleher.

Midway through the second half and with the game in the balance at 14-10, Kelleher came into the line and she was hit by the former Knights captain a split second after making a pass.

Referee Kasey Badger blew a penalty, which was enough to fire Johns up.

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"This is simultaneous – you cannot protect halfbacks when they go into the line," he said in commentary for Nine.

"Hannah Southwell was totally committed to the tackle. It's simultaneous!

"You cannot protect halves. If you go into the line and you're passing... "

Johns cut himself off as Badger called Southwell out of the Dragons line. In sending her to the bin, Badger said Southwell made "contact with force that resulted in significant whiplash".

It was about now Johns started seeing red.

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"Significant whiplash? Well if your halfback comes into the line, the name of the game, you're going to get whacked," he said.

Despite being one of the staunchest advocates for protecting playmakers, Johns said rulemakers had now "taken it too far".

With Southwell off the field, Olivia Kernick and Keeley Davis both scored tries to give the Roosters a 24-10 victory to be undefeated from their first two matches of the NRLW season.

On Sunday morning, Southwell was given a warning by the MRC.