Cody Walker left a number of league greats in disbelief on Friday as he cost his team a try and was ordered to the sin bin for kicking Penrith’s Jack Cogger.
The South Sydney veteran had just been tackled when he lost his temper early in the first half of his team’s 36-14 loss to Penrith, jumping to his feet and swinging his leg out to kick Cogger in the shin.
Walker’s actions ultimately cost his rookie teammate a try. Nine
Unaware of his actions, Walker’s teammates worked the ball to the opposite edge of the field and sent Dayne Jennings over in the corner to level the scores at 6-6, while a small push-and-shove battle simultaneously broke out in the middle.
Referee Adam Gee wasted no time holding the clock as he broke up the melee, informing Walker that his team had scored while he confronted Penrith players.
Walker slowly moved away from the incident shaking his head, before a replay of his actions were shown to all watching on at home and at CommBank Stadium.
“What on earth was he thinking?” Nine caller Mat Thompson said as a replay of the kick was broadcast.
Penrith great Brad Fittler noted that Cogger did have his hand behind Walker’s head in the tackle and was likely “roughing him up” to spark a reaction.
“But a 36-year-old should know better than that,” Fittler said of the act.
Phil Gould added: “Wow. He’s been around a long-time Cody Walker … but I’ve never seen him kick anyone.”
Sharks great Paul Gallen conceded at half-time that he would not have opposed a send-off for Walker had the match officials decided on that as the outcome.
“It was an absolute brain explosion,” he said.
“It is 10 minutes in the sin bin, every day of the week. Had he been sent off for that I wouldn’t have complained. It was such a stupid, dumb thing to do.”
As a result of his actions, Walker was given orders to head to the sin bin. Jennings’ first-ever NRL try was also dashed due to his captain’s behaviour.
Cody Walker runs to the sidelines after being sent to the sin bin. Nine
Walker told reporters post-match that he apologised to Cogger and his teammates for letting the heat of the moment get the better of him.
“It wasn’t good enough,” Walker told reporters.
“As a senior player I have to be better in those moments and not let the aggression get the better of me. I let the team down. I am really sorry about that.
“I spoke to Jack after the game and apologised to him. I let the team down massively. It just wasn’t good enough as a senior player.
“I got that one wrong. I will own that, there are no excuses for that.”
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett had limited words when asked his views on his player’s action, simply declaring “it did not make me happy.”
With a one-man advantage, Penrith sent Liam Henry over to score their second try of the evening, leaving South Sydney scrambling to hold them out of attack.
Edward Kosi did manage to find the try line in the 24th-minute for the Rabbitohs, but Latrell Siegwalt was unable to convert his efforts, leaving the scores at 12-4.
Penrith reminded all of their premiership credentials within minutes of the first whistle, with Dylan Edwards palming off two defenders to dart over untouched.
In a touching tribute to South Sydney’s Jai Arrow, who was medically retired this season after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, Edwards made an arrow gesture when celebrating his try – an act encouraged by the NRL.
Jennings eventually got the try he had hoped for later in the half, firing over in the 39th minute before Penrith responded via Tom Jenkins to kick off the second half.
Jenkins then showed how classy he can be with the ball as he claimed a hat-trick to push the Panthers further in front. Billy Phillips added his name to the list of tryscorers for the home side in the 67th-minute.
South Sydney grabbed the last points of the night via Siegwalt, who scored shortly after Cogger was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Ashton Ward.