Five months after being sent off for a high tackle in the opening Origin match at Accor Stadium, Kalyn Ponga was lucky to avoid the same fate in this year’s decider.
In the 25th minute of the contest against the Sydney Roosters, Ponga’s shoulder caught Victor Radley high, and referee Adam Gee subsequently placed him on report.
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“He does get him high,” Billy Slater said on Channel Nine.
However, the decision not to send the Knights captain to the sin bin came much to the dismay of the Sydney Roosters, who were frustrated with the controversial call.
“If we’re consistent with the rules, that’s a shoulder to the head,” Roosters captain James Tedesco was heard saying to the referee.
“It’s been a sin bin all year.”
To make matters worse for the Roosters, Ponga scored four minutes later after scooping up the ball and going the length of the field to score.
“It’s on report (and) it’s been reviewed,” Gee said.
Ponga lights up GF with full field try | 00:36