{"id":520155,"date":"2026-03-05T11:05:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T11:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520155\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T11:05:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T11:05:14","slug":"jmaine-hopgood-sin-bin-for-high-tackle-on-alex-macdonald-melbourne-storm-vs-parramatta-eels-todd-smith-round-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/520155\/","title":{"rendered":"J\u2019maine Hopgood sin bin for high tackle on Alex MacDonald, Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels, Todd Smith, Round 1"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Eels will be sweating on the match review committee after J\u2019maine Hopgood was sin-binned for a controversial high shot on Storm lock Alec MacDonald. <\/p>\n<p>Just 30 second into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/nrl\/nrl-premiership\/nrl-2026-melbourne-storm-vs-parramatta-eels-live-score-start-time-how-to-watch-zac-lomax-jonah-pezet-faces-former-team\/news-story\/c5cb25766b8bb020d0b6008f5776b134\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">their season opener<\/a>, MacDonald was knocked out after stepping into a tackle from Hopgood, who also appeared to cop a head knock in an unfortunate tackle gone wrong. <\/p>\n<p>Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | <a href=\"https:\/\/kayosports.com.au\/?pg=default&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkleague-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-nrl-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=fsacontra&amp;voucher=\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/poster-fallback.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>WHAT&#8217;S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n<p>Michael Ennis noted that the contact was initiated by a late step from MacDonald right before the line. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s heavy contact, he is in big trouble,\u201d Ennis said on Fox League. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was instantaneous. You just saw him completely just lose all motion poor Alec MacDonald, who is as tough as nails. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe steps at the last minute and drops into the shoulder there of J\u2019maine Hopgood.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Andrew Voss did not believe Hopgood had any intent in the high shot. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMacDonald out and Hopgood staggered away as well,\u201d Voss added. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is interesting because I feel Hopgood should be off for a HIA as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you can establish any form of intent from Hopgood I can\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n<p>BUY OR SELL: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/nrl\/nrl-premiership\/nrl-2026-round-1-predictions-tips-analysis-opinion-schedule-mitch-moses-dally-m-storms-round-1-streak-in-danger-raiders-broncos-news\/news-story\/a41c9cd520ed39b54d1eefd1f41f9d9f\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Storm concerns laid bare; legend\u2019s insane Moses call <\/a><\/p>\n<p>TALKING POINTS: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/nrl\/nrl-premiership\/nrl-2026-round-1-draw-and-schedule-how-to-watch-zac-lomax-court-case-parramatta-eels-reaction-predictions\/news-story\/856b89602c5a22d239929b72637e857e\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Problem threatening Roosters stars; Broncos\u2019 shock Madge scenario<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SAGA OVER: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/nrl\/nrl-premiership\/nrl-2026-zac-lomax-court-case-between-parramatta-eels-and-melbourne-storm-finalised-verdict-latest-news-contract\/news-story\/7d5615b6d9658ce78aae8fdc751cf462\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Shock end to Lomax drama as Eels teammate\u2019s fatal snub revealed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>J\u2019maine Hopgood was sin-binned for a high shot on Alex MacDonald.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n<p>However, referee Todd Smith consulted the Bunker and later decided to send Hopgood to the bin. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is direct and forceful contact to the head, on report and in the bin,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>\n<p>Get all the latest news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports NRL Sportmail. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=NRLArticle&amp;utm_medium=TextLink&amp;utm_campaign=signup\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Sign up now!!! <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Lomax&#8217;s manager: Rugby is a real option | 01:19<\/p>\n<p>However, Eels skipper Mitchell Moses pointed out that Hopgood also copped a knock to the head, asking: \u201cBut what about his head?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Eels will be sweating on the match review committee after J\u2019maine Hopgood was sin-binned for a controversial&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":520156,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[259602,19974,64,63,259603,763,5096,4449,4746,4466,32917,22326,761,762,158,3590,9112,33195,8088,85,259599,259601,259600,259598],"class_list":{"0":"post-520155","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-alex-macdonald","9":"tag-andrew-voss","10":"tag-au","11":"tag-australia","12":"tag-controversial-sin-bin","13":"tag-fox-league","14":"tag-head-knock","15":"tag-jmaine","16":"tag-mark-st-john","17":"tag-melbourne-storm","18":"tag-michael-ennis","19":"tag-mitchell-moses","20":"tag-national-rugby-league","21":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","22":"tag-nrl","23":"tag-opening-set","24":"tag-parramatta-eels","25":"tag-season-opener","26":"tag-sin-bin","27":"tag-sports","28":"tag-storm-concerns","29":"tag-todd-smith","30":"tag-unfortunate-tackle","31":"tag-worst-possible-start"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/520155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=520155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/520155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/520156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=520155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=520155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=520155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}