Sharks great Michael Ennis has taken aim at a “ridiculous” sin bin during his former side’s 32-16 win over South Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
Jack Wighton was busted open after what appeared to be a head clash with Teig Wilton, but the Cronulla back-rower ended up being given his marching orders.
Teig Wilton clashes heads with Jack Wighton. Fox League
On-field referee Todd Smith explained to Wilton his shoulder came into direct contact with Wighton’s head, but not everyone was on the same page.
“That was quite a heavy collision,” Ennis said on Fox League.
“I think that’s an unfortunate accident that happens in a collision … ridiculous.”
Wighton was forced off for a category two HIA and it was revealed while he was in the bin that Wilton also needed to undergo an assessment.
Both players passed their HIAs and were cleared to return, but Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon admitted his confusion over the Wilton decision.
“I’m not sure – to be fair to the Bunker or whoever makes that call, you’re in the box and all of a sudden you’ve gotta quickly review it,” he said.
“Our vision [in the coach’s box] is not the best but just looking at it, I didn’t understand it, but if that’s the call, that’s the call … we’ll adjust to that.
“I don’t normally sook about the refs, they’ve got a hard job. For how up and about we were today, we had some hard ones, but I’m not gonna sook about it.”
The visitors struck an early blow when Matt Dufty threw a nice cut-out pass to set up a break, before Latrell Siegwalt crossed on the other edge from the next play.
After surviving multiple sets on their own line, Souths ended up cracking when Briton Nikora shot through a hole to level the scores.
Siosifa Talakai soon scored in his 150th first grade game to put Cronulla ahead, before hooker Blayke Brailey caught some lazy Bunnies defenders napping.
“That’s an embarrassing moment from the visitors and a piece of individual brilliance from one of the form players in the competition,” Ennis said.
Cronulla did cop a blow at half time however, with centre KL Iro forced from the field and failing his HIA, while back-rower Talakai suffered a biceps injury.
It mattered little however, as the Sharks continued a strong run of form and cemented their top-four spot with a decisive win over the Rabbitohs.