Bunker official Liam Kennedy is likely to be stood down over the decision not to send Stephen Crichton to the sin bin in Canterbury’s win over the Warriors on Friday night.
The Bulldogs’ victory, one that keeps alive their chances of a top-four finish, has come at a significant cost. Kurt Mann’s season appears over after suffering a suspected broken collarbone, while Crichton is facing one to two weeks on the sidelines for his controversial tackle.
The match review committee has slapped Crichton with a grade-two careless high tackle charge after he collected Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with his shoulder. That moment effectively ended Tuivasa-Sheck’s NRL season, given he was forced from the field for a head injury assessment, which was deemed a category one, and the Warriors have the bye in the final round.
In explaining the decision not to send Crichton from the field, referee Wyatt Raymond said there was a “high level of mitigation” in the tackle. Raymond’s handling of the issue will also be investigated.
The NRL is not permitted to comment on an active judiciary case, but sources at head office are disappointed about the lack of action taken on the field.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck leaves the field on Friday night after being hit high by Stephen Crichton. The Warriors star won’t play again this season.Credit: NRL Photos
The decision has drawn criticism after Manly spent 30 minutes of Thursday night’s loss to the Tigers with just 12 men on the field after three Sea Eagles were sent to the sin bin.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, former premiership-winning prop Martin Lang described the failure to sin bin Crichton as a “dreadful decision.”
“Crichton is fortunate to remain on the field at all,” Lang posted. “A send-off would have been sufficient.”
