Debate over potential sin bin for Kalyn Ponga in NRL grand final

Newcastle could not have been braver. They were right in the grand final until the last minute, but their night would – and should – have been over much earlier had referee Adam Gee sin-binned Kalyn Ponga for a high shot on Victor Radley.

Ponga, the Knights skipper and heartbeat of the grand final underdogs, collected Radley in the head with his left shoulder in the 25th minute at Accor Stadium.

He was penalised and placed on report, but stayed on the field – much to the chagrin of his fullback and captaincy opposite James Tedesco.

“If we’re consistent with the rules, that’s a shoulder to the head,” Tedesco was overheard telling Gee. “It’s been a sin bin all year.”

Ponga was sent off for a high shot when leading with the shoulder on NSW’s Tolu Koula during Origin I at the same venue.

Being without Ponga for ten minutes on Sunday night would have given the Roosters the chance to go on the attack against 12 men.

Penrith learned last week that attacking against Newcastle with a man down is no easy feat – but who knows what could have happened with the Roosters, especially considering how much ball they had.

To make matters worse for the Roosters, Ponga pounced on a ball that was tapped back by Mark Nawaqanitawase then raced 95m to extend the lead to 10-0.

Ponga said after the game: “I got hit against the Warriors [with a similar tackle] and it was fine, I don’t think it was that bad. I’m glad I didn’t get put in the bin.”

Bunker official Chris Butler resisted telling Gee to give Ponga his marching orders. It was also interesting that Radley, who has had a shocking run with head knocks, was not ordered off the field for a head injury assessment.

The fact Ponga stayed on the field ultimately did not impact the final result, but it may have opened the red, white and blue floodgates so much earlier.

Officials made the headlines on more than one occasion during the finals, but other than the lack of action taken against Ponga, Gee and Butler had a solid game.

Ponga tried his heart out for the Knights, who carried the support of most neutrals. How he made a tackle then covered almost 50 metres to get from one side of the field to the other, before pouncing on Nawaqanitawase’s bat back to run another 95m and score, was truly inspirational.

Newcastle just could not get enough good field position to put the Roosters under pressure. How they were still in the contest as long as they were beggars belief. It summed up the work ethic of a team that represents a blue-collar, working-class town.

Tedesco deserved to take a bow, because he was nothing short of outstanding in winning his third premiership with the Roosters.

Two of his biggest plays came in the final minutes when he caught a Sandon Smith kick with Thomas Cant running through and making no attempt to catch the ball. Then he put his body on the line to take a ball that had been toe-poked forward in desperation.

The 33-year-old is off contract at the end of next year, but he is at the top of his game, and every chance to chase a fourth premiership next year.

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