Questionable sin-binning in spotlight as Roosters feast on hamstrung Dogs
A questionable and belated decision to send Canterbury centre Monica Tagoai to the sin bin on Thursday night ruined the Bulldogs’ hopes of defeating the high-flying Roosters.
The Tricolours finished the NRLW regular season undefeated from 11 games – and with a second consecutive minor premiership – after beating the Bulldogs 42-12 at Allianz Stadium.
The Roosters are NRLW minor premiers for the second year straight. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
But the Dogs, who won’t be playing finals football this year, were leading 12-10 on Thursday night before the sin-binning of Tagoai in the 48th minute swung open the floodgates for the Roosters.
Feasting on a 12-player Dogs defence, the Roosters went from trailing 12-10 to leading 26-12 during the 10-minute period Tagoai was in the sheds.
The Dogs star was dumped in the bin for a hip-drop tackle on halfback Tarryn Aiken.
And by the reckoning of Jillaroos great Ruan Sims and Roosters legend Brad Fittler, Tagoai didn’t deserve to be put in the bin.
“I think the action was like a hip-drop, but I think she ended up pulling out, and the contact was extremely minimal,” Fittler said on Nine.
“I don’t think it was a sin bin, but I feel like it was a penalty,” Sims added.
Referee Karra-Lee Nolan didn’t blow a penalty when Tagoai brought Aiken down with the tackle in question midway through a Roosters set.
But when a grubber kick at the end of the set forced a goal-line drop-out, Nolan called Tagoai out and sent her to the bin, upon the instruction of the Bunker.
Aiken avoided injury and played out the match.
“You grab, twist, and you fall on the ankle,” the on-field referee explained as she sin-binned Tagoai.
“It’s a high risk of injury – you’re on report and in the bin.”
Front-rower Otesa Pule and gun centre Jess Sergis scored doubles for the Roosters, who piled on eight tries to the Bulldogs’ two.
Of the eight Tricolours tries, two stood out above the rest.
In the 18th minute, fullback Corban Baxter dug into the line and popped a gorgeous short ball to Sergis, who raced away to score her first of the night.
And in the 62nd minute, Aiken threw a soaring cut-out ball to set up a try for Mia Wood on the right wing.
The Roosters, coached by John Strange – father of Tricolours star Jasmin and Raiders gun Ethan – have won minor premierships undefeated two seasons in a row.
The NRLW finals begin next week, but as minor premiers the Roosters get a week off.
